The Big Change
by Hungergamesfan015
Summary: What happens when Katniss transfers school again this time? Will she be able to get along with the people right away? Katniss' is in highschool and she will meet up with an old friend. Who will it be? "We got stuck in 7 minutes in heaven. She just couldn't keep herself away from me." Modern day AU.
1. New School Girl

**Author's note: Hey reader! So this is my first fanfiction ever. Hope you'll like it. I don't have a beta reader so if you're willing to, the job is open. Please give me a review of what you thought 'cause I can use all the criticisms I'll get. I don't know if any of you will like it but I'll make sure to complete it all. Hope you enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. It belongs to Suzanne Collins. The song to be sung belongs to Florence and The Machine. And I looked up the ice cream.**

**Chapter 1: New school girl**

**Finnick's POV**

"Dude, check it! We got a new hottie!" Cato says.

I turn around and meet their gaze. A girl in a white camisole who's curves is just_**FINE **_bringing out her breasts, black leather jacket, and skinny jeans. She's walking hand-in-hand with her cousin maybe? You can't really tell because the little one is blonde in two braids and has blue eyes that just hold happiness in her eyes while the older one is a brunette and has gray eyes with mystery and fire in them. Her little cousin pulls a smile out of her scowl. Shit! They're sisters. I turn my head back to my friends.

"I bet you each 20 bucks I can lay a kiss on the one in the leather jacket right now." I say. "Deal?"

"She doesn't look like the type to fall for the 'Finnick charm'." Peeta says. Oh! The ever so caring Peeta Mellark.

"You can keep your hopes up, Mellark." I respond. "So who's up for 20 bucks?"

"Deal." They say in unison.

"Wait! What do we get out of this?" Marvel asks. I think this for a minute and it hits me.

"I bet you 50 bucks that the moment you touch her she'll definitely give you a slap across the face." Gale says.

"Done, deal. I'll also pay you each 50 bucks." I retort.

I run off towards Katniss and swoop her off her feet. Prim is now gone. I guess she headed to her school on the other building. I immediately give her a kiss on the cheek. I hear the boys whooping and wolf-whistling. Now this is getting me and her a lot of attention. I kind of regret doing it. She looks bewildered and angry from what I did. Before she can act out, words come rushing out of my mouth.

"I promise, little squirrel." That's all I can say. Her anger in her eyes diffuse into confusion.

"Finnick? Is that you?" She asks, her voice barely audible from the guys whooping.

"Yeah! Miss me?"

She pulls me in for a hug and I instantly wrap my arms around her tiny waist. She seems so skinny for a 16 year old that eats a lot. I smell her and she still smells like pine trees. She's the first to pull away. I guess I held her pretty long.

"Your absolutely terrifying me in that getup. What happened to the pretty little-girl dresses, sweetcheeks?" I ask, tugging on her braid playfully.

"I outgrew them."

"We both gotta catch up later on. Bring little Primmy with you. How does ice cream sound like? My treat." 'You are pretty much the reason why I just got 80 bucks.' I think to myself but I don't say it out loud. I recall her eating a lot of ice cream in our sleepovers when we were younger.

"Uhmmmmm.." She's hesitating. Knowing her she doesn't like to be treated like that. I pull her in for another hug. "Fine. I guess Prim would like to see you, too. Bye, my little fish friend." I chuckle at this and I pull away. I walk back towards my friends, under the willow tree, grinning like an idiot.

"When you're done playing with that one, I'm up." Cato says. This makes me furious. I feel so bad for looking at her boobs. She's my friend like my baby sister I wished I had. I want to tackle him but I won't so I just keep it cool.

"I'm not letting her go." I say and flash him my 1 million dollar smile. "Now pay up! You too, Mellark."

The bell rings. Dammit! I forgot that Katniss is new here. I am so stupid. She'll get lost. This is a big school. Gale, Peeta, and I walk to our first period, Music, with Mr. Cinna. When we enter the room we see a pink ball of fuss. Great! Instead of Mr. Cinna being here, we end up with the annoying substitute teacher, Ms. Effie.

**Katniss' POV**

I walk around the school trying to look for the choir room. I'm already 30 minutes late. I mean I love being late and not attending school but I don't want to get called in the Principal's office this early. I finally walk across a room half-filled with instruments and I decide to walk in.

"You're late!" She shrills. I never knew someone can screech that loud. I shoot her an irritated look. She talks in the weirdest accent ever and I have been to different countries.

"I'm sorry. Look, I'm new around here and it's not my fault the school is HUGE." I retort, emphasizing the word 'huge'.

"Oh! You're new here. I'm Ms. Effie Trinket. The substitute teacher. I don't think you'll mind singing for us… uhmmm? Oh my! Where are my manners? I forgot to ask. Your name is?"

"Katniss Everdeen. You want me to do what?" I say, nearly a shout. I hear some gasps but I don't offer a single glance.

"Don't worry. I'll give her a boost." Someone speaks up. I whip my head towards the speaker. Finnick. I have never been more furious towards him than ever. He picks up a guitar in the corner of the room and he starts playing. Wow! He's really good at playing. It actually calms me down until I realize I still have to sing. He throws me a wink. I take a deep breath and I start singing. My voice starts out raspy. I haven't sung for a while now. Only occasionally when Prim gets horrible nightmares.

Regrets collect like old friends

Here to relive your darkest moments

I can see no way, I can see no way

And all of the ghouls come out to play

I open my eyes and look out the window. I can't look at anyone. I see that the birds outside have gathered around to listen to me. They're silent just like how they used to every time my dad opened his mouth to sing. I can feel my tears threatening to spill. I shut my eyes and continue singing.

Ever demon wants his pound of flesh

But I like to keep some things to my self

I like to keep my issues drawn

It's always darkest before the dawn.

I see them shouting my name to get out of the burning house. My eyes flutter open and face the only one here I can trust, Finnick. I can't handle seeing them die over and over again. A tear escapes the corner of my eye. Dammit! I look so weak. He gives me an apologetic smile and nods for me to continue but I do not dare take my eyes away from him.

And I've been a fool and I've been blind

I can never leave the past behind

I can see no way, I can see no way

I'm always dragging that horse around

Our love has passed such a mournful sound

Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground

So I like to keep my issues drawn

But it's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out (oh woah)

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out (oh woah)

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

So shake him off, oh woah

And I am done with my graceless heart

So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart

'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn

It's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out (oh woah)

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out (oh woah)

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

So shake him off, oh woah

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

And given half the chance would I take any of it back

It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone

It's always darkest before the dawn

Oh woah, oh woah… Ooooh!

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't

So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road

And I'm ready to suffer and I' ready to hope

It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat

'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me

Looking for heaven, found the devil in me

But what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out (oh woah)

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out (oh woah)

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

So shake him off, oh woah

So shake him off

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out (oh woah)

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out (oh woah)

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

So shake him off, oh woah

So shake him off

When I'm done singing, Finnick gives me a pat on the shoulder and a reassuring squeeze. Everyone is so silent, even Effie. Normally I appreciate the silence but it's so unnerving at the moment. I don't even get applause or something.

"You were great, sweetheart. You even got better." Finnick whispers.

I walk to the vacant seat by the window and sink into the chair. I just want to go home and hunt in the woods. This is the problem with moving around. First, I have to deal with so many languages and now that I'm finally talking in my own language, I get humiliated. Once the bell rings, I shoot right up and half-walk/half-run out the door. I don't even know where I am or where I am headed. I can hear Finnick shouting my name but I don't even look back. This just makes break into a full sprint out the door. I need some time and space to think. I can't stand those crowded and stuffy classrooms. I check my schedule and I have a free period. Great! I wouldn't worry about skipping class and getting called in the Principal's office. I roam around the campus, looking for a nice spot to stay. I choose a spot under a tree in the back of the school. I wonder why it looks so abandoned. Maybe because they still have classes? I am just thankful this place is so peaceful and windy. I pull out an apple from my bag and start climbing up the tree. I think it will be a good place to hide if anyone else will come by.

THE HORN OF PLENTY

I walk into the cafeteria and look for a seat. I see Finnick waving me over to his posse of friends-cheerleaders and varsity players I assume. Leave it to him to hang with the popular group. I fight the urge to roll my eyes. I choose to avoid him and sit with a girl alone on a table.

"Hey." I say.

"Hi." She whispers, not looking up at me. She seems so shy and quiet. She has lovely brown and wavy hair. Wavy like the waves that fall and rise from the ocean.

"Do you mind?" I ask, placing my tray on the table. This is the time when she looks up. She has soft green eyes, just like Finnick.

"No. Go ahead. I'm Annie Cresta" she says, smiling. Her voice is now louder.

"Katniss." I respond, holding out my hand. She shakes it. Just when I'm about to eat my pasta, someone places an arm around my waist. I'm about to jerk it off but when I look up I see Finnick.

"Hey! I waved you over." He says.

"Finn, Annie. Annie, Finnick." I introduce. "I didn't feel like coming over."

"We know each other. She's the Captain of the swimming team and I'm the quarterback of the football team." He says, politely. "We still up for later?"

"Uhmmm.. Yeah, sure. Wanna join us, Annie?" I ask.

"You guys don't mind me joining in your date?" she asks, sweetly.

When the realization hits me, I nearly spit out my food. Finnick just laughs his ass off. I feel like punching him. I wished I did spit out my food and on his face.

"We aren't dating." I respond almost immediately, after clearing my throat. "He'll be treating me and my little sister for some ice cream. I'm sure he won't mind you tagging along. And I'm sure that he won't mind treating you, too. Right Finn?" I nudge his rib with my elbow.

"OWWW!- I mean yeah, right. Of course! The gentleman that I am wouldn't mind at all. Well, I have to go back now." He stands up and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and winks at Annie then walks back towards his table.

THE HORN OF PLENTY

I wait under the willow tree with Annie and Prim. They have been chatting non-stop. They got along so well. I'm glad that Prim likes her already. A yellow Porsche stops by on the side of the road. Finnick comes out from the driver's seat and Prim dashes to him. She jumps on Finnick right away. He loses his balance but regains it quickly.

"I miss you too, Prim." He laughs.

We hop into the car, me in the front seat and Annie and Prim in the back.

"So Prim, do you like it here in California?" Annie asks.

"Yes! It's such beautiful place." Prim replies, enthusiastically.

"What about the beaches here?" she asks.

"I haven't been to one yet. It's not Kat's kind of thing. She just doesn't like the bikinis they wear."

"Don't worry! I'll bring you there myself sometime that is if Katniss is okay with it." I look at them over my shoulder and just nod. I can see Finnick glancing at them through the mirror. I soon tune out of their conversation. I don't wanna think about this place right now. I miss New Jersey. I miss the woods. I miss Madge. Through the 5 years we have been apart we still manage to keep our friendship alive, We would chat on Skype normally. New Jersey is the best place I have transferred to. Russia was just too cold for me to handle. France was too fancy. I didn't like the way they would kiss both my cheeks every time they would say hello. Australia was alright but New Jersey was the best yet. I love hanging out in the woods there. I pull out my phone and decide to text Madge.

_Madge, I miss you. ='C_

"Kat?" Prim asks.

"Oh! Hmmm?"

"We're here already."

"Oh! Sorry. I was just thinking."

"So I wanted to sleep over my friend, Rue's place. On Friday? Can I go please? Pretty pretty please with a cherry on top?" She pouts her mouth and gives me those puppy dog eyes that I can't resist.

"Fine." I roll my eyes at her playfully and ruffle her hair. It's not like I can say no to her and if I do say no she won't quit bugging me. Finnick opens the door to "The Seam".

We walk over to the counter.

"Hi! Welcome to the Seam!" the lady chirps. "What can I get for you today?"

"What's in the Hokey Cokey?" Finnick asks.

"Caramel Luxury Ice Cream with Cinder Toffee Pieces."

"I'll take that. How about you girls?" he asks, flashing us an amusing smile.

"I'll get the Chocominto. That's chocolate and mint right?" I ask.

"I'll have Blue Heaven." Prim squeaks.

"And uhmmm.. I'll have Cinder Toffee." Annie says, quietly.

"You should go find seats. I'll be right there." Finnick says.

We take a seat by the window sill and Finnick comes over with our ice cream in a tray. Finnick sits by my side and wraps an arm over my waist. He can never keep his arms to himself. Annie starts asking us questions.

"How did you guys meet?" she asks.

"We got stuck in 7 minutes in heaven. She just couldn't keep herself away from me." Finnick replies. I slap him hard on the shoulder.

"Finnick! Prim is with us!" I scold. "Don't listen to what this dummy says." She and Prim giggles. "We met in Summer Camp 5 years back. We got lost in the woods when we went for a trip with the rest of the troop. We lived there for like a week." I laugh, remembering the memories we shared.

My phone rings with a text and it's from Madge.

_Sorry, haven't replied. Miss you too, Kat. Also the animals in the woods. No one is hunting them down no more. _This makes me laugh more.

_I'll try visiting, yeah?_ I text back.

We finish our ice cream and head home.

**Author's note: I hope you will like it. No offense to Russia and France. I'm sorry. I haven't been there yet but I think it looks wonderful and I just thought how would Katniss feel like every time they kissed both her cheeks.**


	2. The Surprising Guest

**Author's note: I would just like to thank the following people who reviewed:**

**This anonymous person who just sent a kiss for being my first **

**peetame, ashleyBB88 & Embracer: I will be able to continue but I guess it'll take some time to update. I have too many school assignments. I barely even go time to read fanfictions. I'm so sorry.**

**LeslieMellark: Yeah.. I know and I'm sorry. This one won't have him too. I decided that I don't want them to meet up too soon. **

**StayingAlive223 & dgirlm: You think? I made another chapter that should have started with Katniss ' POV but I realized that it usually starts with her waking up so I decided against it.**

**And thank you Is That You See for offering to be my beta reader. I wonder if it'll be okay for you to start on the 3****rd**** chapter?**

**OH! And if you have realized that Finnick and Annie aren't close or anything, I decided to start from scratch because it doesn't say in the books how "THEY" happened but I will mainly be focusing on EverlarkSooo.. Here it goes.. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Hunger Games and the mash up is own by gLee.**

**Chapter 2-The Surprising Guest**

**Katniss' POV**

It' Friday night and I just got to drop off Prim over at the address Rue gave. I can't believe that she just told me to leave once we got there. I guess she's just excited for the sleepover that she wanted it to start as soon as we got there. I mean it is Prim I am talking about. She gets too excited for things and wants it to happen right away but that leaves me alone in this giant house that I'm still not used to. I can't sneak into the woods because there are NO woods that I know of.

I get a text from Finnick.

'_Hey, little squirrel. Look, I know you have nothing to do. Wanna have a sleep over?'_

'_How do you know that I have nothing to do? I knew you are crazy but I didn't know that you're a creepy stalker now, Finn.' _I text him back.

'_Creepy stalker? You are just paranoid and DRAMATIC. Don't forget I was there when Prim asked to sleep over at Rue's place.'_

'_How am I supposed to know you were listening? Oh right! I forgot you have these GIANT elephant ears and listens on every gossip people talk about I'm sorry, GIANT ELEPHANT EARS.'_

'_I do not have giant elephant ears! I am the sexiest man alive just to remind you. I can't believe they haven't given me that title yet. Oh well! It's them who live a shameful life. They just wasted it not being able to lay their eyes on THIS!' _I suddenly get another text but with a picture of a shirtless Finnick in front of the mirror, taking a picture of himself with his cellphone. After closing the picture, I get another text from him. He doesn't even give me time to think of a smart come-back. _'Hope you were able to pull your eyes away from me. You should keep that photo. Girls wish they had one personally from me. They do go into the boys' locker wanting to catch a glimpse of me half-naked. So are you coming over or not? I'll give you a proper tour of the place.' _Ugh! What the hell? I have nothing to do and I haven't realized how lonely I felt without Prim around in the house.

'_Oh! Shut up, Finnick! Where do you live?'_

'_Want me to pick you up?'_

'_No. Where do you live already? You're making me want to change my mind. You think of me as that same 10 year old girl who was afraid of the dark. Besides, I have a bike.'_

'_Just 12 blocks up from there. Why don't we just meet up at the local market?'_

'_The Hob? Fine. See you.'_

I pack 3 undergarments, 2 shirts and pants for tomorrow. I put on socks and grab my Dad's hunting jacket. I decided not to change my pajamas since it is night and I mean who cares what I wear? I slip on my hunting boots and sling my backpack on my shoulders.

FINNICK ODAIR'S BODY

I bike all the way to the Hob. The lights are still on and there are a couple cars parked up front but I don't see Finnick yet. There's a silhouette coming from the market and it's Finnick.

"Hey." He greets, walking towards me.

"Hi. What's in the bag?" I ask curiously.

He digs into the plastic bag and pulls out a handful of sugar cubes. I don't see why he loves them so much. In Summer Camp, he brought around 5 packs of them. I really never understood his desire for them.

"Want some?" He says, leaning in and licking his lips. I'm not really sure if he's offering me some sugar cubes or some kisses from him but I reject both. I don't want to get a kiss full on the mouth or the sugar cubes. I prefer mint leaves. I guess we both have the same reason why he eats sugar cubes and I eat mint leaves. It helps my stomach settle down. "Let's go now."

FINNICK ODAIR'S BODY

We're 3 blocks away from Finnick's place when it starts pouring buckets. He stops on the side of the road and this makes me stop, too. We're soaking wet and I don't know what he has gotten in his pretty head of his.

"What are you doing? This is ridiculous." I shout to him under the thunder and lightning.

"Would you like to dance?" he says, offering me his hand. He sees my hesitation and carries me straight of my bike, letting my bike fall down on the wet pavement. He twirls me up in the air as if I'm no heavier than a rag doll. He starts singing and dancing while I stare at him.

You have my heart

And we'll never be worlds apart

Maybe in magazines

But you'll still be my star

Baby, 'cause in the dark

You can't see shiny cars

And that's when you'll need me there

With you I'll always share

I can't help but notice how fun he's having and start joining him. Like they say "If you can't beat them, join them."

I'm singing in the rain (We'll shine together)

Just singing in the rain (We'll be forever)

What a glorious feeling (Be a friend)

And I'm happy again (Stick out 'til the end)

I'm laughing at clouds (More than ever)

So dark, up above (We'll share each other)

I'm singing, singing in the rain (Umbrella)

You can stand under my umbrella (Ella, ella, eh eh eh)

Under my umbrella (Ella, ella, eh eh eh eh eh eh)

As we continue singing, we get louder and louder each time a roll of thunder passes by. The lights go on in the house we're dancing in front of. Soon, a man in only an underwear chases after us with alcohol bottles. We immediately ride on our bikes. I and Finnick laugh as he chucks at us the empty alcohol bottles, missing each one. It was the right decision to hang with him. I haven't felt this care-free in a long time.

FINNICK ODAIR'S BODY

We enter through the back door. I slip off my boots and we run to Finnick's room. We are both shivering wet.

"Where are your parents?" I ask.

"Asleep probably. It's 11 already." He says, pointing at the clock on top of his drawer. He grabs 2 towels out of the drawers and hands me one.

"They're alright with me sleeping over?"

"What do you mean, Kat? You used to sleep over all the time in Kentucky after Summer Camp."

"Yeah. That was 5 years ago and we were with Mags. Do they even remember me?"

"Mhmmmm. When did you care what people say?" he says, throwing me his wet and heavy towel. But before it can hit my face, I duck. I prepare to throw it back at him but he runs into his bathroom for shelter.

I go through my bag and remember I didn't bring extra clothes for sleeping. I can't sleep in wet clothes. I should've checked if it was about to rain. Even my bag and the clothes I brought for tomorrow is wet. I slump into the floor, waiting until Finnick finishes off in the bathroom. After 5 more minutes, Finnick finally steps out in fresh and dry clothes.

"Hey Finn? Do you have clothes I can borrow?"

"Gimme a sec, babe." I roll my eyes at his new nickname he made for me. He hands me a pair of boxers and sleeves.

I go inside the bathroom and drop my useless bag of clothes on the floor. My mouth instantly drops. His bathroom is huge! It's like half the size of his bedroom. He has a personal washing machine and dryer in here. I remove my clothes from my bag and toss it in his dryer. All of it, including the clothes I just stripped off. Finnick already left me hot water in the bath tub. The ever so polite man he is. I climb in and let the heat relax my tired muscles. I sit in here for 15 more minutes until it turns cold. I let the water drain out and dry myself off. I change into the clothes Finnick lent me and wait for my clothes to dry. I expected Finnick's clothes to be huge on me but I guessed wrong. The shirt is a sort of big on me and it ends above my calves but for the boxers fits perfectly. I wonder when was the last time he wore it. My thoughts are interrupted when the buzzer of the dryer signaling that my clothes are dry now. I braid my damp hair and stuff all my clothes into my bag. I don't feel like changing into my clothes earlier. I walk out and I see Finnick already asleep on the floor so I take his bed. He must be really exhausted from running around, splashing in the mud puddles and dancing earlier but that seems impossible. When we got lost in the woods, he would stay up all night if I didn't force him to sleep up with me in a tree. He used to be so paranoid with the creatures roaming around in the woods. This somehow reminds me of how dad would hunt and how every time mom would wait for us to come back and cook the game we caught. Soon after, I submit myself to Finnick's comfortable bed. I wake up 2 in the morning, screaming and drenched in sweat. I couldn't save them. They should have just left me behind. Finnick is now by my side, hushing me and hugging me. We both fall asleep next to each other in an embrace. I haven't felt this safe in a while now.

"Wakey! Wakey! Eggs and bakey!" Someone says in a singsong voice. My eyes flutter open. I don't recognize this person's voice. Someone in a burglar mask and black suit is on top of me.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well.. There you have it. Sorry for the cliffhanger. I felt like ending it here. BHAHAHA! Until the next time. Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading. **


	3. The Revelation

**Author's note: I would just like to thank my beta reader: **_**Is That All You See**_**, I would have to say she is the best for being there. This would be the first chapter she has beta for me but I don't know about the rest. And I think you should read her story, New Life Old Obliviousness. She has a pretty good summary but I myself have enjoyed reading it. **

**I would like to thank BabyMidgetCukie, jackyb, Horsecrazy141, TruIdentity, TatianaMellark, GingerJoker, fangirl4520, BleedtoLoveHer, peoplearestrange96, Joshhutchersonlover, dgirlm, cheergirl96, StayingAlive223, pricegirl316, LeslieMellark, mcphersonraina, tuvabjrndal, and bchampagne and others I can't mention anymore because you are all too much for listing me on their story/author alerts. I feel like crying. And also, Sille, pricegirl316, LeslieMellark and Is That All You See for listing this story on their favorites.**

**StayingAlive223: Yes, I know. Sorry for my randomness and good question. I preferred using stuff that would distract me and stop to look at/listen to instead of like using those horizontal lines indicating there would be a time skip or something.**

**Anonymous: I hope you would make an account. Thank you for supporting me and I hope this chapter would answer your question.**

**TatianaMellark: I also hope that this chapter would answer your idea.**

**peetame: I would have to totally agree.**

**Chapter 3: The Revelation**

**KATNISS' POV**

There are men in black suits and burglar masks surrounding the bed. By instinct, I get my feet under the guy who is on top of me on his belly and launch him flying backwards. I start kicking, scratching, biting, thrashing and anything I can do to keep them away from me. Only if I had my bow and arrows. I scream for help and I hear the door to the bathroom open. Out comes Finnick in a towel wrapped around his waist down to his knees and comes rushing forward. I pin the guy, who is nearly unconscious, that I kicked earlier on the wall and reveal his mask. It's a blondie with blue eyes. The rest remove their masks and Finnick pulls me off him.

"What the hell is going around in here?" Finnick shouts.

"It's a Saturday. We always prank you and go to the gym afterwards." A blonde reasons out.

"We figured it was you still asleep on your bed 'cause she's wearing your clothes." A brunette states matter-of-factly.

"Who let you in?" Finnick asks.

"Your mom." The blonde who was on top of me says.

Mrs. Odair comes rushing up and sees all the 4 men bleeding with a couple of bruises here and there, Finnick in a towel and me in his arms. Now that I'm fully aware that Finnick isn't even dressed, I take a step away from him.

"What is happening up in here?" she asks.

"Nothing, mom." Finnick answers, smoothly.

He shoos her out, closing the door and locking it.

"Damn! Your girl knows how to take a punch." The one who was quiet the whole time finally speaks up.

"You got a feisty one there. Who wears the pants in the relationship?" The first blonde said.

"Obviously her. She is the one wearing his boxers." The blonde ass jokes.

I'm in a total shock right now. I'm about to hurl myself at them when Finnick pulls me back and defends for me.

"You guys are asses. She could have –would have- killed you right then and there." Finnick states. Yes. I could have… I would have… I should have… I could tell the court I did it as self-defense. I look at him from top to bottom. He's still only in a towel. This is the time I do speak up.

"Why does this… disturb you?" he says in a seductive purr, posing. His entire friends guffaw and I just glare up at him. I thought he was on my side. I head back to his bed, burying my head in his pillows. I wish this was just ALL a horrible nightmare.

"Guys, I think you should step out. We gotta change."

I hear the door snap shut.

"You know you can be a pompous jerk around them." I shout under the covers. I know he knows that he crossed the line joking at that time but I also know that he is like that. He is Finnick. He jokes at times when things are serious. I would know better. We've been together through good and bad and I can see right through him at times. I understand all his emotions that dance across his face at any given time, in any given situation. I feel the bed shift next to me but I do not dare peep. Who knows if he's naked right now?

"I'm sorry, Kat. I was only joking. I'm done changing." He says as if reading the question that is disturbing my mind.

"Good! You should be sorry." I say furiously. I'm guessing he nuzzles his nose on my face above the covers. And I can't help but laugh at him. He always knows how to cheer me up. That's how he got his other nickname from little Katniss back then, Finn the pup. He would pretend to be a puppy at times to get my attention. That's a way he can be like Prim. They won't give up making me happy again. I come out of the covers and look at him. We're so close that we might kiss.

"C'mon. Get dressed; we're going to the gym." He murmurs softly. And my fury against his friends comes back again. "I'm not staying in a car with them." He chuckles at my statement, lying next to me.

"They got their own cars. Don't worry about it. I'll wait for you outside." He leaves a soft kiss on my cheek and walks out.

I rush over to his bathroom and strip my clothes. I take a quick 20 minute bath and get dressed. I comb my hair in its intricate braid and walk out. When Finnick said he'll be waiting for me outside, he wasn't kidding. I thought he'd wait downstairs with his friends but he's sitting on the top of the staircase, looking out the giant window. His house is practically made of windows. I shut the door behind me making a click sound, revealing my presence. He turns around and offers me his hand but I choose to ignore it. We walk to the dining room in an uncomfortable silence. He's usually the one starting the conversations. When we get to the dining room, all his friends are eating breakfast with no shyness which proves to the fact that they have been going to the gym every Saturday for who knows how long. They're all joking around as if nothing happened upstairs. They don't even notice us come in until we take a seat. I sit in between Finnick and Mrs. Odair. The table then goes silent. Mrs. Odair notices the tension but doesn't say a word so Finnick loosens it up a bit.

"Mom? You remember that crazy little girl who wore a dress in boots all the time who I got lost with?" he asks.

"Of course. How can I forget? Katniss Everdeen." I walk over to her and give her a hug.

"Oh my! Katniss? From 5 years ago?"

"I'm not staying in a car with them." He chuckles at my statement, lying next to me.

"They got their own cars. Don't worry about it. I'll wait for you outside." He leaves a soft kiss on my cheek and walks out.

"Yes. The one and only." I reply, laughing.

"You're so big now. And you filled in." I can feel the heat rush to my face. Well, this is rather embarrassing.

I don't say a word and take my seat. We eat our food in silence. I don't mind it being quiet but Mrs. Odair clears her throat and speaks up.

"So Katniss, how's your stay in California? Do you prefer staying in France?" she asks politely.

"It's alright I guess but I still prefer New Jersey." I say. I mean I don't mean to boast but she is asking.

"Oh! I thought you last transferred to France?"

"Uhm. No. Actually that was 3 years ago."

"So you transferred from New Jersey to here right?" "No. Russia." I say, simply. With that the conversation ends and I finish my breakfast. I excuse myself from the table and head upstairs. I brush my teeth and bring my backpack downstairs where all the guys are waiting for me in the living room.

Finnick introduces me to all his friends. Peeta was the ass who was on top of me. Cato was the other blonde. Gale was the quiet one earlier. Marvel was the brunette. They all apologize but that doesn't ean I accept it. What are they? Feeling lucky enough to get on my good side? Not gonna happen with the attack earlier.

"We better go to the gym." Finnick say, standing up.

"You sure Katniss you can handle the gym?" Cato challenges.

"Well, judging from the state of your faces with all those bruises and scratches, I think I can handle getting dirty." I retort.

They all laugh. I allow myself to smirk a little, seeing how red Cato can get once he's humiliated.

"I like this girl." Marvel says, throwing an arm around my shoulder. I give him a death glare causing him to pull away his arm slowly as if I was a bomb about to explode. Finnick ushers me to his car and the rest take theirs.

**JOSH HUTCHERSON'S HOT BOD**

We arrive at the gym. Finnick covers my eyes the moment we step in the gym and guides me in.

"Don't worry. Just trust me." He whispers into my ear. He's talking so close to my ear that it tickles which makes me laugh.

Once he removes his hands, I see an archery station. I jump on him, wrapping my hands around his neck and my legs on his waist. I give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you. For bringing me here." I whisper in his ear.

He puts me down and pushes me towards the bow and arrows.

"Go on. Let's see you shoot." He says.

I sprint over to the bow and arrows like a little baby who just found her toys. A guy comes over and assists me.

"I'm Haymitch and I'll help you. Are you sure you can handle that, sweetheart?" I grab a silver bow and two sheaths of arrows.

I step forward on the platform and shoot an arrow right on a target 20 yards away, hitting the bullseye. I'm getting used to the bow and arrows because it's much lighter than the one I'm used to. I use the one my dad made me. I've tried numerous times replicating his artful work but I never got to make one as good as his. Once I get more confident that I can shoot farther, I start shooting from 50 yards to 100 yards radius not missing one target. Seeing that I'm good, Haymitch starts throwing these angry birds stuff toys up in the air. I shoot each one in the eye. It's a good kill if it were real. He picks up his pace and throws 2 at a time, multiplying them each round. I'm having so much fun that I can hear each one fall. I turn around, facing Finnick and his friends. All of them have their mouths wide open, staring at me with awe. I feel the heat rushing to my face again.

"Word of advice. If I were you, I would shut my mouth. I wouldn't want a fly to come in." I throw a smirk at them and they start applauding.

I hear footsteps coming from my back and I turn my gaze back to Haymitch. He's now in front of me. The beads of sweat are visible on his forehead. He gives a low whistle handing me the arrows.

"I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you. Where did you learn to shoot like that kid?" he asks.

"My dad. We used to hunt in the woods." I say, casting my eyes on the floor.

"What'd you get?" My eyes snap back to him in confusion. We actually have the same gray eyes but his hair is a dirty blonde.

"What?"

" . ?" He asks again as if I didn't understand English.

"Squirrels, birds, turkeys, and deers usually if I come across them."

"A pack of wolves and a bear." Finnick says, putting an arm around my waist. And he said I couldn't keep my hands off him. It seems the opposite way around.

He and his friends have gathered around me. I nudge him in the stomach with my elbow, releasing his grip.

"Are you for real?" Gale asks.

"Yeah. Like I said earlier. She's crazy. She brought a bow and arrows to camp grounds. All the counselors were horrified with her. She was running around with a bow in her right hand and a sheath of arrows slung on her side. I thought she was a lune." He answered, chuckling.

"Shut up, Finn! And I'm sorry I can't be the _normal paranoid_ person like you." I shout.

"How did she shoot a pack of wolves and a bear? Was she running in the woods with meat or something?" Haymitch jokes.

"We got treed by those mutts. She got scared 'cause she thought I was going to die. I got bit on the leg and she saw the blood draining out of me."

"You're making me regret it now." I mutter under my breath.

"How about the bear?" Peeta asks. As if I am not here. Isn't anybody listening to me? "Shut up Finn! I got a bow and arrows. Don't think I won't shoot." I cut in but that doesn't stop him from talking or laughing. Probably the only way to shut him up is by piercing an arrow in his throat.

"She challenged it to the rights of having the bee hive." They all start laughing which turns me red with red with anger. I walk away from them. I take one last look and out of the corner of my eye, I see an apple sitting perfectly on top of the table a couple of feet away from them. I release my arrow and letting it fly into the apple, making a loud thump when it sticks on the wall. It's juice dripping to the floor.

"I wasn't kidding about using these." I say, gesturing to the bow and arrows. "Next time, I won't give a warning."

I look at each one of them in the eyes. Fear is evident in all their eyes except for Haymitch and Finnick. I can visibly see Peeta and Marvel shaking. Finnick and Haymitch burst into fitful laughter. I can't help but join in. Looking at Cato, Marvel, Peeta, and Gale's faces in complete horror makes us laugh even harder. Haymitch puts an arm over my shoulder.

"I like this girl. She has lots of… Spunk. More than you. More than you'll ever have." He says, pointing at the four men. I grin at their faces and return to the platform to shoot more. I feel better now. I'll pretty much always have the last laugh. Great! Hanging out with Finnick is turning me into an arrogant person. But I can't avoid him. We are partners in crime since I was 10 and he was 12. We would sneak in the cabin where the good stash of food was kept and we would take it and eat by the lake all night. I look over my shoulder to see the four men still standing there, trembling.

"Well? Are you going to just stand there? I thought you were going to '_work out'_? What? Can't handle a little sweat?" I ask, teasingly.

They slowly drag their legs out of the archery station, looking at me. As if they didn't trust me to shoot them. An hour more of shooting and I head to the weights station. I walk in silently and lift some weights.

"So what was she doing in your bed? You sure you didn't knock her up, Finn?" Cato asks. What the heck? I'm thinking that 'she' they're talking about would be me. I was in his bed. Before Finnick can answer, I clear my throat. Everyone turns their attention to me.

"You know? It's rude to gossip about people behind their back especially if that person is standing right in front of you and don't play dumb with me. I heard you. And why don't you just ask me?" I point out.

"How long have you been standing there?" Marvel asks.

"Long enough." I simply answer.

"We didn't hear you come in." Gale states.

"She has a tendency of sneaking up on prey." Finnick says, smirking. "How did shooting go, little squirrel?"

"Great. It's just that I missed a target." Your heads to be exact.

"Little squirrel? Are you sure you two aren't dating?" Cato asks, reassuringly.

"Shut up!" I and Finnick say in unison.

"And to top it all off, I don't date." I mutter.

"I caught that. Why? Mommy and Daddy won't allow baby Katniss to date?" Peeta asks, mockingly.

That is it! I have had enough of his bullshit. I launch myself at him. Finnick expects me to and grabs a hold of me.

"Vous bàtard! Ne me parler comme ça! Je vais vous chasser vers le bas. Vous aurez le regretted. Vous ne savent meme pas ce que vous parlez. Ils sont morts, vous écervelé idiot!"

Finnick hugs me and hushes me. Tears are running down my face. I bury my face on the crook of his neck, crying. I haven't had this horrible of a breakdown before.

"It's alright, Kat. He didn't know. They didn't know. C'mon. He's not worth it. Let's go." He whispers, soothingly. I wouldn't know what I would do without him. He gives me a kiss on the forehead and guides me out. "I gotta tell them we're leaving." I just nod my head, unable to speak.

Peeta just crossed the line. What is his problem? Why does he get on my nerves all the time? I should have killed him earlier. What the hell does he even have against me? Yes, I kicked and did a lot of damage to his face but he did deserve it. He was the one who was on top of me. I just did what my instincts told me, stay away from him.

**JOSH HUTCHERSON'S HOT BOD**

Finnick walks with me hand-in-hand to his car. I instantly fall asleep. When he wakes me, we're in front of McDonalds. I haven't had ate here for a long time.

"Hey, little squirrel. You hungry?" he asks.

I nod my head. I'm too embarrassed to talk. He ushers me to a seat and goes to order food. He comes back with 2 cheese burgers and large fries.

"I'm sorry. I'm an emotional wreck right now. I don't know how you deal with me." I say, shyly.

"No. I know. I understand, you don't have to explain anything. I do after all have these GIANT elephant ears." He says which makes me laugh. He never fails to bring a smile on my face.

After that, he drops me home.

"Thank you for everything, Finn. You're the best friend I ever had." I give him a quick on the kiss on the cheek. He doesn't say another word. He knows that I need my space at this moment.

Prim is probably still at Rue's house. The house is too quiet for her to be around. I crawl up the stairs to my room and crash in my overly-sized bed, not bothering to remove my shoes. Ugh! I hate the people here. It was better having Madge as a friend. I fiddle with the gold pin she gave me. It's some sort of bird holding an arrow in its mouth. I carry it everywhere I go. Exhaustion takes its toll and I fall into a dreamless sleep, clenching the pin close in my hand.


	4. The Call

**Author's note: Wow! 30 reviews. I would like to thank everyone who did and stuck with me. I wanted to answer the question if I'm sure that this is a KatnissxPeeta fanfiction and not a KatnissxFinnick. They seriously just are bestfriends. I decided that Finn IS a big flirt and they've known each other a LONG time and I'm thinking of something but I don't wanna tell you just yet. "Guest", I'm not sure who you are and if you're only one person but thank you for supporting me. Oh! And hmmm? How does it sound if I update on probably Mondays? My life is messed up with school right at this moment. And I have this poll up on my profile if you ever have the time to vote please do so…**

**DISCLAIMER: I can NEVER own The Hunger Games. It's just too good for me. I'm just an outcast from school.**

**Chapter 4: The Call**

**Katniss's POV**

Yesterday, I spent my Sunday like every other Sunday back in New Jersey. I went hunting, but of course, I had to improvise. I went to the gym, shoot arrows, hitting fake animals thrown up in the air. And now, I got a new hunting partner, Haymitch. Back in New Jersey, I had Madge as a hunting partner. She didn't chatter much and she had careful feet. She would still snap a twig now and then but I'm impressed. She doesn't have that much practice like me but she managed not to scare away all the animals. I remember trying to teach her how to shoot. She tried and tried to shoot an apple on a branch 15 yards away but soon after she got irritated and went stomping off to the apple tree and snatched it, biting it with annoyance. I laughed at her so hard that I had tears in my eyes and she called me insane. Though Madge wasn't much of a great hunter I felt safe around her. She kept me company. Haymitch, on the other hand, was a pain in the ass. I don't even know if I can trust him in the woods. He's a good hunter but with a mouth like that can scare the whole damn woods. At times, I realized that he would drag his legs wherever he walked. That lazy old bum wouldn't do any good in the woods.

After that me, Prim, Rue, and Thresh watched a movie. Thresh is Rue's older brother and apparently he's the same year as me, Finnick and Annie, a junior. He also plays football. He's a great guy and you'd think that a guy as huge as him would be a bullying jerk who can't stop yammering but he's not. He's the total opposite. He only smiles sometimes. He's a lot like me. He smiles when Rue is happy like how I smile when Prim is happy. He's not much of a talker. And I would say that someone as huge as him would probably be the best hide and seek player ever. I haven't seen him since day 1 or if I did I would have recognized him, probably. I am impressed with how great my observation with him is.

It's a Monday again and I'm not looking forward to those jerks or Effie's shrill accent. I'm about to take my seat when the class phone rings. I don't even know what it for is. Lazy air heads. Why can't they just walk all the way here? I mean come one people! We have feet. Why don't you use it sometimes? Ms. Effie is still here. When can Mr. Cinna get here? I heard he was a great teacher. Ms. Effie interrupts my thoughts when she calls me out. "Ms. Everdeen, the principal would like to see you."

Euh! What did I do this time? Yes, I'll admit I fell asleep in a couple of classes but it doesn't say in law that sleeping is now a crime. And it's also not my fault. I'm not used to the time parallax anymore. I stand up from my chair and grab my backpack. I get some "oooohs" and whispers and a questioning look from Finnick but I just shrug. I don't even know what I am in for. I hold my head high letting people know I'm not scared. This is just the principal anyways. Now, I would be scared if I met a disgusting president who would do anything to maintain his power even if it means poisoning his competition. And the bright side to this is that I don't have to worry about losing my ears to that Effie woman. I also won't be in the same room for an hour with those two idiots, Gale and Peeta.

I walk into the principal's office. The first thing I notice is that the person sitting on the chair facing out the window has white hair and not gray. It's not the vice principal, Coin, who welcomed me to this school. But I can't really tell. The room is dim. I guess he likes the room dark.

"Ah! Katniss Everdeen. I have been expecting you. Please take a seat." He says, still looking out the window. His voice is icy. Venom clearly in it. I obediently obey him and take a seat in front of his desk. His voice is oddly familiar. "It has come to my attention that you have not signed up in any club yet. It is clearly requested in our school handbook for every student to be active when it comes to extracurricular and you'll need it to graduate." He finally turns around.

"Gramps? When did you get back? I thought you went to a business trip?" I ask, standing up and giving him a hug after swatting him on the shoulder for giving me that cold voice he usually uses on his workers. He chuckles.

"I missed you too, sweetie. I just got back today."

"Does Prim know you're back?"

"Not yet. I brought her a stuff toy though."

I'm first to break the embrace. He composes himself while I walk over to the couch by the door and take a seat. I'm supposing it's for the parents.

"So you're the new principal now?" I ask.

He clears his throat and talks in his business voice.

"I was being serious earlier. You need to be in a club to graduate." I'll take that as a yes.

"Why? We probably aren't going to last here by the end of the year."

He's doing that tired habit of his again. He's massaging the bridge of his nose.

"We _are _going to be here. That's why. I went off to that business trip to seal the deal. I wanted to seal the deal with Seneca to let him know I want out. I want you and Prim to have a decent and steady life. I don't want you two leaving your friends behind all the time. I see how Prim gets upset every time we move." I open my mouth to argue but he interrupts me.

"Why do you must have to be my granddaughter? Why do you have to always win an argument?" He lets out a frustrated breath. "Why do you have to follow that trait from me? You're so stubborn. You followed that trait from your mother too." He stands up and walks over to me. He gives me a quick kiss on my forehead and sits next to me. I bring up my legs and sprawl it across his lap. I lay my head down on the arm chair and close my eyes.

"Grandpa, I miss them." That's the only words I let out. I don't want to break down in a horrible panic attack in school. I let out a shaky breath.

I bring my legs up to my chest. Grandpa moves closer to me and scoops me up onto his lap. Suddenly, I feel like a 5 year old again. He would cradle me on his lap every time I would scrap my knee or fall off a tree with Prim on our adventures.

"I know. I know. Just let it all out. It's okay to be weak once in a while." This time I can't hold it in any longer. I let the tears roll freely down my face. Prim won't be able to see how weak I am. No one else will. Just me and my grandpa. "Look, I love you Katniss but you are a pain in the ass. You need to let it out once in a while. You can't hold it in forever. _They_ and I want you to graduate. We want you to become successful. Why don't you try entering in that cheerleading squad? It's the only club left opened for members. I don't know why they only have a little members but I know you can get in. You are after all, Katniss Snow Everdeen." I open my mouth to protest but I choose not to say anything. I want him to be happy. I want to thank him for taking care of us. "I know you can do those flips and tricks. I still have videos at home of every performance you did."

_Home_. He's been planning this. He already considers this place _his _home. No wonder why the place is fully furnished with roses out in the front lawn. And I can't believe he kept all of those videos. But why did it have to be here? I don't even like the people here other than Finnick and maybe Annie. She's starting to rub off on me. "Kaniss?" I'm interrupted with the train of thoughts building up in my head.

"Sorry, Gramps. I guess I just zoomed out. It's just a lot to process."

"So how about that club thing?"

"Fine. On one condition."

"Why should there always be something in it for you?"

"I guess another stubborn trait passed on to me from you." I smirk knowing he'll give in.

"What is it?" I knew it. I ponder on this for a moment and think of a great idea. I haven't really thought of the condition clearly. Hmmm?

"Let me skip class."

"No." He says, firmly.

"Fine, I guess I won't be graduating." I taunt him. I know this will seal the deal. "C'mon gramps. You just agreed that you'd do it on a condition. Snows don't take back their word do we? Please? Plus Effie is so annoying. She sort of remembers me of a bamboo's butt with her cheeks so red with all that make up. Maybe if she cut back on that make up she'd probably look pretty but still annoying. Another discussion from her about slouching and I will surely hurl myself at her. I can't stand her voice no longer. She's driving me crazy! You might as well throw me into a dungeon for a whole year and as long as she isn't there I'd be able to live through it without food."

He stands up, removing me from his lap. At first, I thought he was going to kick me out and build a dungeon underneath our house but instead he just steps out of his office. I can hear the conversation carrying out right now with him and I'm guessing his secretary.

"Portia, please go over to Ms. Trinket's room and excuse Ms. Everdeen here."

"Why, sir? Is everything okay?"

"Yes. Our talk will be longer than I thought it would be."

"What should I tell Ms. Trinket?"

"I don't know. Tell her she's died or something." I snicker at his choice of words. Spoken more than my grandpa than the new principal of this school. She doesn't push him and leaves with a "Yes, sir."

I hear the clunking of her heels moving farther and farther. Once my grandpa steps back in, I rush over to give him a hug.

"Thanks gramps. You are the _best_. You won't even notice I'm here. And so much for your professionalism." I yawn loudly.

"I'll be sleeping here. I had a tough night last night." I say, gesturing to the now comfy-looking couch. I remove my boots and stretch my legs across the couch. I shift around it to find a comfortable position. "Oh! Hey! Gramps? Remind me to bring pillows tomorrow."

Momentarily later, I feel someone wake me. I rub my eyes groggily.

"Morning, Gramps. What time is it?" I ask, unaware of the current time.

"12. Go eat lunch."

I grab my back pack that I used for a pillow earlier and leave Grandpa's office.

**JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH LOOKING FOR FINNICK ODAIR**

I walk over to my table and I see Annie and Finnick already there. I place my tray and take a seat next to Annie.

"Hey, little squirrel. Where have you been? We were worried about you when you didn't come back."

"I took a nap." I answer simply. No further explanation needed. Finnick just looks at me curiously to where I took a nap without teachers swarming the place but I have more things to worry about.

"Hey Annie? Can you do me a favor?" I ask, hesitantly. I'm not used to asking for help. I whisper in her ear so she will be the only one to know and I doubt Finnick can hear us with the questioning look he is giving us at the moment. I guess he doesn't _have_ giant elephant ears. I choose to ignore him however.

**Author's note: So that was it. Sorry if it sucked. I was planning for Annie to be here on this chapter and not only in the end but like the whole thing but I felt like winging this chapter so… That is what it turned out to be. Thanks again for everyone who reviewed the past chapter.**


	5. The Friend

**Author's note: So thank you for everyone who reviewed and favorite also followed this. I don't know how to thank all of you. I'm sorry for the long wait. You just don't know how hectic my damn schedule is. Eh! I dunno but I have well uhmmmm boring stories. HAHAHA! So here it goes…**

**CHAPTER 5: The Friend**

**Finnick's POV**

Ever since the incident on Saturday, I've noticed lately that Katniss has been avoiding me. The last time I got to speak to her was yesterday at lunch with Annie. I have also noticed that she has been hanging around Annie more than the time she spends with me. What is going on between us? I guess because I've been busy practicing for the first game of the year on Friday.

I don't have anything against Annie. She's as sweet as Prim but very quiet. I guess she's just shy or maybe scared? There are a lot of horrible rumors of her being a bitch and snob for not hanging out with us or how she chooses not to hang with her swimming team. She is the opposite of what they are spreading. I appreciate the kindness Annie is giving Katniss. Knowing Katniss for a couple of years, she is one tough cookie to befriend. Her walls are always up and she has this issue of not trusting people right away. I guess someone as sweet as Annie can get her to break down those walls easily. I need to find her someone who could. Let a fierce soul get her to crack open other than me and Annie. There's something about Annie I very much admire.

I shake the weird thoughts in my head of Annie. I don't usually think of a girl who I don't treat as a sister or after a hot make-out session. They don't go far beyond being mentally being thought about. Annie and I are nowhere near physical and I'm already thinking about her.

I jog towards my team on the field.

"Where are the chicks?" I ask. Normally, the cheerleaders practice out on the field and then we do some flirting but they are nowhere in sight.

"Heard there's a bag of wanna-be who wants to get in the squad." Cato answers.

"Whoa! We haven't got a chick that got in the squad for 3 years or someone who has enough guts to even try out." I say.

"You think Coach Cash is going to go easy on her?" Peeta asks, thoughtfully. Peeta as sweet as ever. I wonder…

Since Cashmere became the new coach only the hottest and the best got in.

"Who do you think is it?" Gale asks.

"No idea," Marvel answers without even thinking about it a second. "I guess we'll figure it out this Friday if that is she gets in or when she comes out weeping."

"Alright! Huddle up! Enough of the dirty talking about those girls!" Coach shouts, blowing his whistle afterwards.

**Katniss' POV**

I am glad Annie is here to support me. When I asked her for the favor her face lit up as if she won the lottery. She was super excited that she called off her swimming practice saying she had something important to do. She made me wear very short shorts of hers because I didn't have any. She told me I'll be able to move better without jeans bothering me if I had to do something outrageous. I couldn't protest because she seemed so happy and she also _helped_ me with looking presentable for this _thing_. I also didn't have the heart to deny her with those pleading eyes like Prim's. Prim adores her. They got along right away when they first met. She's so sweet and I'm surprised that she's a loner. Well, I assume she is. I don't see people making an effort to walk up and sit with her in lunch other than me and Finnick or even going up to talk to her.

She put my hair in a high ponytail before braiding it after all my arguments with her with the ponytail still on. She even took the time to put make-up on me. Only a little though. She swept some stuff on my cheekbones put a little lip shine and what was that called? Mascara? I don't know! I never really understood make-up, fashion and other girly things. She wanted to make my best features pop out according to her if I even do have that. I hate wearing it but if this is a way to help me get in then I _will_ do it.

No wonder why there are only a couple of cheerleaders- 10 to be exact- almost all are blondes. The coach is very strict. She wants everything to be perfection. A wrong move that can go unnoticeable mistaken, she makes them restart from the top. The uniforms these people wear are so provocative. They end above the thighs with skirts. If you look closely you can probably see the girls' ovaries. I need to talk to grandpa about this. Everything about it screams "Look at me! Want to try baby-making in the janitor's closet?" I don't get why they like wearing it everywhere in school. I don't want to make a big fuss about it though. I just want to be exempted from wearing it around school for no reason or probably I can get a version- My thoughts are interrupted when the coach calls my name.

"Katniss S. Everdeen."

All the other cheerleaders are now gone. I wonder how long I have been thinking. I, Annie and the coach are the only living soul left in the gymnasium. I take a deep breath and walk forward. I take one last look at the bench where Annie sits. She mouths the words "You can do this." I nod my head and give her a genuine smile. Something I barely give- that includes Prim, Gramps, Madge, Finnick, Rue (Yes, she is starting to warm up on me), and now Annie.

"Let's start with the basics." She shouts through the blow horn. She blows her whistle.

"Cartwheel."

"Split."

I do everything as she commands and I can't believe that I can still do it. I haven't done this for years now. "Good, good. Let's do something a little more challenging."

"Spread eagle!"

"Toe touch jump!"

"Hurdle jump!"

"Backflip!"

"Very nice. You execute each one with such accuracy." she praises.

"Triple back flips?" It comes out more of a question than a command. I do as she pleases. "Who taught you to perform with such grace?"

Grace. She thinks I'm graceful. Wow! Those are the nicest words I got out of her for an hour_. 'Don't think you're in yet. She's maybe teasing you to get to you.'_ I think.

"Me and my little sister used to play with our trampoline a lot before." I answer. Even though she is starting to warm up, she still scares me.

She looks at me from top to bottom and does a double take. "How many pounds do you weigh?"

"Excuse me?" I ask back, trying to say it as polite as I can. Why would she want to know how heavy I weigh? What is she thinking? Carrying me up the Eiffel Tower? I'll pass.

"You look a skinny for your height and weight."

"I'm not sure." I answer, honestly. I didn't think it was in the requirement to know how much I weighed. I haven't noticed how skinny I am. I guess I haven't eaten that much lately since they passed away. Depression.

"You're in," she says. She blows her whistle, signaling the end of my try out. "Hit the showers." She walks to the benches and starts packing up. I just stand in the center of the gym, dumbfounded.

"Well? Don't just stand there! I told you to hit the showers! You just got into the squad. That doesn't make you special. You follow my orders." I nod my head, walking towards Annie still dumbfounded. She rushes over to me and pulls me in for a hug.

"You did great! I never knew you had it in you." she squeals, jumping up and down. I slowly wrap my arms around her. A small smile gracing on my lips.

"Thank you. For everything." I whisper.

**A RAINBOW LEADING TO A POT OF GOLD WITH PEETA MELLARK DANCING IN A LEPRECHAUN SUIT**

I just got out of the locker room. My hair is still damp from my shower but I braid it anyways. I see Annie still waiting for me by the benches. She reminds me of the time Finnick waited for me when that horrible incident transpired.

"Hey Annie! You waited?"

"Yes. I decided to just wait for you. I don't have anything to do at my place." she answers, meekly.

"You can come over at my place." I offer.

"You can come over at my place," she whispers as if I put her in a trance. "I can come over at your house?" she asks as if she didn't hear me right.

"Why wouldn't I be? Prim adores you." I respond, honestly. "And you're my friend." I include. "Let's go. Prim will be waiting."

We make a bee line to the main door but before she can open it, I hold her hand.

"Can we probably just uhmmm… exit through the back door?" She looks at me skeptically at my question but agrees.

**A RAINBOW LEADING TO A POT OF GOLD WITH PEETA MELLARK DANCING IN A LEPRECHAUN SUIT**

I was right. Prim has been waiting with Rue. I smile at them. Prim skips over in our direction while Rue follows suite. Prim gives me and then Annie a hug.

"Hi little duck! Hi Rue!" I pull her towards me and give her a hug too. She seems so left out. This is my third time receiving a hug for the whole day.

"Annie, this is my sister's best friend Rue." I say. "Rue, this is my best friend Annie."

Prim and Annie looks at me with wide eyes as if I grew a tail and a horn making me look like a unicorn. "What?"

"Best friend. I like that." Annie says, sweetly. Now both Prim and she are beaming. They are so alike when they smile.

"You coming over too, little Rue?" I ask ruffling her unruly hair. "Well? Let's get a move on." Prim and Rue skips ahead leaving me and Annie a couple of feet away.

"You weren't kidding about what you said?" Annie asks.

"No. Of course not. You remind me too much of Prim."

"What about Finnick?"

"Oh… uhmmmm…" I trail off. How do I answer this? I forgot he existed for a while there. "He's also my best friend I guess but that is different. It took me time to trust him and we were cast off in the wilderness to survive on our own. I barely even trusted him thinking he would turn into a cannibal without food handed to us on a silver platter. You took barely even a week." This answer of mine takes me off guard and leaves Annie simply happy.

**A RAINBOW LEADING TO A POT OF GOLD WITH PEETA MELLARK DANCING IN A LEPRECHAUN SUIT**

Not long after, we're already in front of our porch. I fish the keys out of my pocket. I insert the key in the knob and notice that the door is already open. That's strange. I look over to Annie, Prim and Rue. I place my index finger to my lips, signaling for them to be quiet.

"Stay here." I whisper.

I slowly open the door. Adrenaline coursing in my bloodstream. I turn into hunter mode. I walk in like a lion sneaking up on prey. I hear light footsteps coming from the kitchen. I walk cautiously in the direction of the sound. It's getting louder and louder. I brace myself for an attack and the door to the kitchen swings open. A familiar face pops up and starts laughing.

"Damn it, grandpa! You scared the hell out of me. What are you doing home so early?" I hiss.

"You should've seen y-yo-your face! You were like ready to pounce on me." he says in between laughs.

"What are you doing home so earlier?" I repeat. "You got a lady friend home or something?"

"I had nothing to do at school." he shrugs as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. When he got home yesterday, Prim literally jumped on him causing them to tumble on the floor. They looked so adorable. Later that night, we ate my favorite dish, lamb stew. After that, we made a little bonfire out in our huge backyard and watched the stars just like we always do with mom and dad were still around.

"Katniss?" My trains of thoughts are ruined when grandpa calls me back to reality. I forgot that he was standing right next to me. "Where's Prim?"

"Oh! Right! _We_ have friends over."

"You _made_ a friend?" he asks raising an eyebrow. I don't usually make friends. I thought it was useless.

"Yep." I answer popping the p. "I'll go fetch them. I made them wait outside." I walk over towards them on the porch looking as scared as hell. Annie has her phone over her ear probably trying to connect to the police. "Sorry. False alarm. It was just grandpa home early. C'mon in."

Prim comes rushing in, jumping on grandpa. Its times like this that makes me realize I'm very lucky to still have Prim and Grandpa even if they are the only family I have left. They break apart. Prim introduces Rue and I introduce Annie.

We grab a plate of banana flavored muffins that grandpa bought at the bakery, popcorn and strawberry milkshakes and head upstairs before grandpa stops me (including Prim, Annie, and Rue since I'm ahead of the 2 steps) dead in my tracks.

"Did you get in the squad?" he asks. I freeze at his question. I didn't get to tell Prim I signed up yet. She'll be pissed knowing I kept this from her.

"What squad? The cheerleading squad?" Prim asks.

"Yes." I answer to both of their questions.

As I have anticipated she explodes. "How could you not tell me, Kat? We're sisters! We're supposed to tell each other everything! I can't believe you! We promised that no matter what we tell each other everything." She's practically shouting now. I have never seen her mad. This is her first outburst ever. She's as red as a tomato. She can be quiet intimidating when pissed. I never knew she had it in her. I guess we are related.

"I got in." I mutter. These are the only words I can process to relax Prim and it works like magic.

"What?" she asks, all giddy again. I laugh at her change of mood. Maybe she has her monthly curse. Typical Prim.

"You were all ninja-like. I have never seen that side before. You were so red I thought you were about to jump out of your skin." I pull her into a tight hug. She starts mumbling and I pull away.

"What was that?" I ask.

"I said I couldn't breathe. So you got in? Did you made their heads roll over?"

"Yes. I was okay, I guess."

"She was so great. I couldn't believe someone's body can be that flexible." Annie pipes in. I kind of forgot they were still there.

"Come on. Let's watch a movie." Prim says, pulling Rue with her free hand into her room. We follow suite.

**A RAINBOW LEADING TO A POT OF GOLD WITH PEETA MELLARK DANCING IN A LEPRECHAUN SUIT**

I can't believe Prim chose My Sister's Keeper. It was so sad. I can't imagine losing Prim like that. Annie, Prim and Rue cried so hard when Kate died. Yes, I actually paid attention to this movie. I had to also hold back my tears. I am not a softy for movies. I would roll my eyes at their acting skills and their fake cries because they don't know how it feels like to actually lose someone. Yes, maybe they have but that is different acting it out.

If I was Kate and Prim was Anna, I would never forgive mom or myself. First off, letting Prim deal with the cruel world alone. Second, taking her organs to give to me without her knowing. Third, carrying her perfect organs to the grave. And lastly, make her grow up so fast. That's my goal in life: Keeping her pure and innocent. I don't want her to see the painful things the world holds. I feel my eyes stinging. It's bad enough we lost both our parents. It's my entire fault. If I just moved my sorry ass they could've made it.

"Katniss?" Prim pulls me from my wounding thoughts. How many times have I spaced out already? "Rue and Annie are leaving now."

"Can't you guys just stay for dinner?" I whine. I want them to stay a while longer. It keeps the house feel like a home with them around. "I can phone Thresh for you Rue and I thought you didn't have anything to do at home Annie?"

"Please?" Prim joins in. She pulls her famous puppy dog eyes and pout. They both shake their heads with a grin on their face. See! I knew that Prim always gets away with that look and not only on me and grandpa.

"Fine." They say in unison.

I make a quick call with Thresh telling him that Rue will be staying over and agrees.

Dinner went by so fast and Rue and Annie are getting ready to leave already. Our night was filled with fitful of laughters wafting through the air as we recount embarrassing yet funny moments. We only ate Chinese food that we ordered because Sae wasn't around to cook us some food. It was better food than nothing. I'm glad they stayed for a while longer. They made the house truly feel like a home. I think I will like it here. All I have to do is bare those jerks or probably ignore them and I know life will be alright.

Author's note: I'm sorry for another Peeta-less chapter but I'm still on the journey following the rainbow leading to that hot leprechaun. Hope you guys will leave a review. I made this chapter focus on Annie. I hope you guys also liked it. 'Til the next time, mates.


	6. Thank you, Biology

**Author's note: I did the best I can in this chapter. It took me 6 hours including my dinner making this after I saw the review of my special anon. I didn't think of this chapter and I hope you'll like it. I wasn't preparing for someone to ask me to update today and this quick especially because I have school. I wanted this chapter to have Peeta too. I hope it doesn't suck to bad. I just typed what I thought. I want to make you guys happy. And if it's too short I really do apologize. I haven't really spoken to my Beta Reader so I've been proofreading myself for the past 3 chapters. I hope I don't make too much mistakes. And well enjoy. Thank you for all the reviews by the way. **

**Disclaimer: I do not and can never will own the Hunger Games or the characters. I just can't be like Suzanne Collins.**

**Chapter 6: THANK YOU BIOLOGY!**

**KATNISS' POV**

After last night's fun I had a 3 hour good night's sleep until memories of mom and dad appeared. It's as good as they get. I realized that when I have friends around they make some of the nightmares go away but no one has fully drove them away. Yesterday, after Rue and Annie left, me and grandpa had a fight about the cheerleader's uniform. They don't really need to wear it unless I have to cheer for a game of course and we had to wear it during practice. I guess they're just big flirts trying to get knocked up each day.

We have practice on M-W-F, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. So today I have practice. Damn you Wednesday! I got my uniform right away and I can't believe that it took them overnight to order and then deliver it to our house. I wonder if this is just a handy-down but I don't really mind. It's not like I've never wore handy-downs.

I hate it when I can't sleep anymore. It's 5am and no one is awake to cook for me. I can cook, sort of, but it tastes like mush and I'm not in the mood for that kind of stuff. I'm craving for one of those muffins yesterday. It tasted _like _heaven in just one bite. When I saw Rue and Annie barely touching their muffins I was tempted to steal but then they slapped my prying fingers from it. It was such a close one. What was that damn bakery that grandpa bought it from? Stinking brain that's tired from sleep! You can't even think properly! You sound gluttonous but more lustful for that muffin!

I grab a mug and pour mint tea. It always seems to die down my appetite. I walk out of the kitchen and sit on the swing out in our front porch. It's very convenient grandpa thought of buying it. It's facing his rose garden. I can just smell roses everywhere. The birds are chirping signaling a new day. The wind is blowing ever so lightly. It's so peaceful. This moment is just so perfect and I wish no one will ruin it but my damn stomach declaring it's want for food disrupts everything. I go back up stairs and change into sweats, tying my pair of Nike shoes. You know what stomach? If you're that hungry I'm going to find that bakery with those muffins. See? You're already driving me crazy by talking to you in my head! Can't you probably just shut up for one minute?

**KATNISS WRAPPED IN LAYERS OF CLOTHES HIDDEN IN THE JANITOR'S CLOSET**

I walk around town wondering if this is the right address grandpa gave me. I couldn't help my stomach and I started jumping up and down on grandpa's bed. He got pissed off and gave me a lecture saying I shouldn't have broken in his room and started jumping up and down his bed waking him up so early. I snicker at the thought of how he slept upside down the bed, drooling. He also went so far from taking the keys I borrowed from him the other day to his room. It's a good thing I got to copy it before he did. He drove me all the way here and then kicked me out of his car in front of the town. Now it's up to me to find it and walk on my way back home.

I finally spot a red bricked building with 'SWEETS AND OTHER STUFF'. It's the bakery! YES! And it's open! I can eat! I brought 50 dollars with me. You know how and why? Because I plan on tasting _**everything**_ and I bounced a couple of extra times on grandpa's bed to give me 30 more dollars. I'm spoiled. I know but I only do this sometimes. I enter into the bakery and I'm greeted with heat from the ovens in the back. The bells chime signaling my presence. I look around and the place is so cozy. I think I'll come here every day. I'm the only one in the shop. It is only 5:45. Who the hell wakes up this early in the morning to grab food? Oh right! Me. I walk up to the counter and an ash blonde man pops his head from the back. He has blue eyes, the color of the sky, looking around his late thirties.

"Well, hello there! Isn't it a bit too early to be here?" he greets. I just shrug. "What can I get you, my dear?"

I don't know but him calling me dear it doesn't bother me at all but when Haymitch calls me sweetheart, world war 3 starts. I scan over the items in the display window. I come across very beautiful cupcakes. Everything is so detailed as if they were pictured and displayed into each tiny cupcake. I think I started drooling over it because the man asked me if I'm alright. I ask for a cup of coffee, a cupcake with a rose in the center, rye bread, and 3 cheese buns. Eh! I don't know why did I buy 3 cheese buns but it looked so good that it told me to buy 3 of them. I'm so hungry that I'm having delusions that cheese buns now talk. I pay him the 50 dollars and thank him. I take a seat by the window. I break a piece of rye bread and dip it into my coffee. I then grab a chunk of a cheese bun and pop it into my mouth.

"Oh my goodness!" I mutter under my breath.

This is the best kind of food I've ever had. I gobble the other 2 down in 3 bites. It was so good. I move on to my cupcake and sweet heaven! I will make sure to come here every day to eat here. I check my cellphone and it's already 6:20. I should get going before I'll be late to school. It's a 10 minute drive from here to my house so it will take about 20 minutes or so to walk there. I buy 2 more cupcakes, one for Prim and the other for grandpa, and buy 5 cheese buns with the left over change. I bid him a thank you and walk towards home.

**KATNISS WRAPPED IN LAYERS OF CLOTHES HIDDEN IN THE JANITOR'S CLOSET**

Today's classes were all uneventful until my Biology class. I have this class with Cato and Peeta. We were assigned to make this project about living cells and I was assigned with no other than a passed out Peeta who wasn't paying any attention. _Wonderful!_ I kick his shin causing him to abruptly wake up whining in pain. All eyes are on him. _Aw! Poor him!_ I give him a smirk. That should do the trick for falling asleep. I stand there all innocent but I can feel Peeta and Cato's eyes on me. They know I did it. Who else would it be other than the girl he woke last Saturday?

**PEETA'S POV**

I whine in pain as I am kicked in the shin by no other than the Katniss Everdeen. Stupid hangover! Stupid Finnick! I hold my palm over the spot on my forehead where the pain is.

"What do you want?" I hiss. She gives me this innocent look. Aw! She looks adorable until she throws me this smirk. _Listen to yourself, Mellark! Hold yourself together! You're supposed to be angry with her._

"We have a project to do. So if you don't mind… Get your shit together." She replies with sweetness in the beginning and ends with a dangerously low hiss.

"The deadline will be by the end of the month." Mrs. Bristol, our Biology teacher, says. She then dismisses us. I grab my back pack and wait for Katniss outside of the classroom. Finally! School is over! Practice is next. Katniss passes by me without even sparing a look at me.

"Katniss! Wait up!" I shout. If it wasn't any worse, she started walking faster. I chase after her and grab her by the hand. A shock of electricity passes through our hands and I look at it. She pulls her hand briskly away from mine.

"What do you want?" She hisses, a scowl forming on her face. I wince at her harsh words. Fire. She's my girl on fire. I see the fire in her eyes. She hasn't looked more beautiful than ever.

"I thought we should start later on with the project." I answer, softly.

"Do you even know what our project is? I saw you drooling earlier." She retorts with the same fire earlier.

"No. That's why we should start today. So we can finish it and to make up for the time I slept earlier." I counter.

"Fine. At my place. Meet me at the willow tree. 5 o'clock sharp. If you're late, I swear, I will hunt you down in your sleep. You won't see the day of light." She says, quickly, rushing off.

**KATNISS WRAPPED IN LAYERS OF CLOTHES HIDDEN IN THE JANITOR'S CLOSET**

After practice, I ran to the willow tree to meet up with Katniss. I don't think Katniss was joking when she said she'd hunt me down and now that we're partners, I want to be on her good side so I came 5 minutes early. She walks over to me with a spring coat on falling an inch below her knees. It's not even cold.

"What's with the jacket?" I ask. She just shrugs and continues walking. "Where are you going?"

"At my place, I told you."

"I have a car."

"I prefer walking."

"Stop being so stubborn and just come with me. I need directions." She huffs and follows my lead.

We drive in silence and she tells me to make a turn 2 blocks away from school and my jaw drops. She is rich. Maybe richer than Finnick. I drive into their garage. They have a mansion, a huge rose garden and almost everything is more of a garden. I can smell the roses from inside my car.

She walks out of my car not waiting for me to step out and opens the door to her house. She walks straight upstairs into her room, wordlessly. It is huge. Odd. Her room isn't anything like how her personality reflects to be. Her walls are painted with rainbows and there are fairies and unicorns everywhere. This is more like a 5 year old girl's room. She grabs her laptop from the study table and walks out of the room, pushing me out along with her.

"That isn't my room. It's my sister's room." She says. That explains it.

She ushers me to a room next to her sister's and I am greeted with a forest. Her room literally looks like a forest with the walls painted with trees in spring. Her bed covers, look like leaves that fell from the trees. It smells like pine. Like natural pine and not those for the car. The floor is a carpet of green. I guess her favorite color is green. She opens a camouflaged drawer and pulls out sweats. She orders me to sit on the bed and enters into her personal bathroom. My brothers and I share a bathroom all together and our parents own their own. I take this time as an advantage to roam around in her room. She doesn't have any pictures but only one of her, her sister and I'm guessing her grandpa under the Eiffel Tower in France. She's actually smiling in this one. She looks beautiful with a smile on. I hear a couple of curses coming from the bathroom and a shout and I immediately sit back on the bed, afraid she'll come out any moment and catch me snooping. I'm concerned about her if something happened to her in there. My prayers are answered when she suddenly emerges from the bathroom, wearing a pair of sweats and a very big, loose white shirt. Her hair is in her usual braid. I wonder how long her hair is when it's down. She takes a seat in front of me. I take my biology book and open it up on page 78 and she does the same. She shoves our books to the other side of the bed and slowly moves closer to me. _Holy shit! _She wants to make out with me. That's why she brought us to her room. I feel myself hardening. I swallow hard. My throat feels suddenly so dry. Her face is a hand's length away from my face. My heart is thumping so fast. I think it might explode. I look down at her lips, hungrily.

"Are you okay?" she asks, confused. I swallow hard again.

"Y-y-yes." I manage to stutter out. _She has no idea the effect she has on me_.

"If you need water just say so. Excuse me." She lightly pushes me to the side and grabs her phone from the counter, near her lamp. She didn't want to make out. She needed her buzzing phone.

"I need water." I tell her. I need something for my dry throat. My heart is pounding so fast. THANK YOU, BIOLOGY! I think I'm falling for Katniss Everdeen.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well? I didn't do too well. I made this real quick. It was midnight the time I finished. Please review.**


	7. Damn you, Biology part 2

**Author's note: Hellooooo my dear babes! Thank you for all the reviews. I just had to say this but I'm not so sure if I'll be able to update for maybe a week? My cousins are coming over. I haven't seen them for 2 years maybe? I can't tell. My childhood cray cray of a family are coming over! Hooray but I'm not so sure if I'll be to update. I wanted to do my best for this one. I kind of left the last chapter hung on air. I was so tired that day that I had to stop. I couldn't think clearly and the ideas thought that day weren't included in the last because I forgot to add it. **

**THANKS TO MY WONDERFUL BETA READER: IS THAT ALL YOU SEE!**_xo_

**Disclaimer: HUHUHU! I couldn't be smart enough to think of The Hunger Games so here I am. Unknown to Josh Hutcherson, maybe forever. Anyways, The most awesome character writer, Suzanne Collins, owns The Hunger Games.**

**Chapter 6: DAMN YOU BIOLOGY-Part 2**

**Peeta's POV:**

I told her I needed water. I needed to distract her. I was growing a bit too hard when she got close. I'm surprised she didn't even notice a thing. Well, yes, she did notice I felt my tongue so dry all of a sudden but she didn't even glance at my lower body. I don't think she even thinks that way. She's not like other girls who would probably die to make out with me just like Finnick. She's unique, pure…

Right! She maybe even had made love to Finnick already. The first time I saw her laying on his bed, in his clothes, her hair in a messy braid from probably what they did in the night before, she looked like an angel. I was awestruck and I probably had the goofiest face on that time. I was lucky that she couldn't exactly see my face. I was beet red at how I was positioned on her. I was over her. My legs were in between her hips. My manhood was also hardening on her but there's this girl that I've been looking for.

When I heard her sing, I knew I was a goner. I just can't seem to find her. After listening to her sing, I didn't have it in me to move from my place. But I didn't get to catch her when I entered the room. I stopped dead in my tracks, on my way to the music room. Maybe a good two or three yards away and from there her voice came out clear. I was late and damn I wished I got to see the girl holding the most beautiful voice, I've ever heard. Even better than Taylor Swift. I was awestruck and I didn't have the chance to enter the room in time. Everyone was already seated. I was a cheat. I'm dating Glimmer and a cheat.

I don't realize that I'm still in Katniss' room until she brings me out of my thoughts. She's talking on her phone, in another language, real fast but nodding her head more. I think she's talking in French. She's standing at the other corner of her room, her back facing me. She looks back at me over her shoulder as if she has eyes in back of her head. She raises her index finger, signaling she'll need a minute or so. I give her a curt nod. She says a goodbye and hangs up. She gestures for me to come forward and I follow her the way to the kitchen. She grabs me a glass of water and someone comes barging in. A blonde girl and blue eyes I recognized her as her little sister from the photo earlier. She runs over to her and hugs her. She pulls away from her sister and raises her eyebrows at me.

"Who is he?" she spits. I'm taken aback at how she says those words. I didn't expect this from a little girl as cute as her, knowing how her room looks like. I thought she would be sweet. Now I do know she is Katniss' sister.

I walk towards her and offer my hand for her to shake it. "Peeta, Peeta Mellark. I'm Katniss' biology partner."

She slowly takes my hand and smiles, evilly. "Primrose Everdeen."

Katniss' pulls her away from me and tells me they'll be right back.

**KATNISS' POV**

"Did you have fun at Rue's house?" I ask her. I was shocked at how she asked Peeta in such a low hiss who he was. What has California done to my baby sister? But from the look of Peeta's mortified face it was priceless. I had to bite my inner cheeks to keep me from laughing at him.

I told Prim that he was the one who attacked me on such morning and she was furious. She instantly disliked him. When I pointed her out to him this morning, she turned blood red and I thought she looked like Tinker Bell. Like I said, we don't keep secrets from each other.

"We got to play with Thresh tea." she says in her now normal peppy voice. I smile, imagining Thresh trying to fit into those tiny chairs, sipping tea out of a tiny teacup, his pinky pointing up.

"You busy?"

"No. Why Kat?"

"Great! Come with me! I've been waiting for you to finally get home." I say, pulling her towards the bathroom in the first floor. I quickly remove my sweatpants and shirt in front of her.

"I had a hard time removing it. I also tried taking it off in the locker room. Luckily, I brought that spring jacket Delly insisted on buying." I explain to her. She laughs at the cheerleading uniform I still have on. I started cursing earlier in the bathroom and the locker room just trying to remove it.

Another thing I hate about the uniform that it was a one piece suit and was zipped from near my butt to my neck. I'm glad that this is the outfit that they gave me though. I didn't like the other girls' uniform. Their own was a two piece with their stomachs popping out and their chest left to be covered, well barely. Theirs cleavages were showing. Their skorts, what Annie likes to call it, were probably only covering their bottoms. I don't even know how will I be able to wear this one every practice and game if Annie won't be there.

Prim unzips the uniform out of me and I kick it to the side. I happily put my sweat pants and shirt back on. I'm glad those evil clothes are off of me.

See? To Prim, nudity isn't a problem. She's used to seeing people naked. Ever since we moved to a new place she'd always join in Red Cross. She's always wanted to help out people and become a doctor just like our mom. On times me or grandpa get sick, she's always there taking care of us. She always knows what to do while I do the immature thing and run out of the house as far away as I can and shoot arrows. I can't even handle the slightest cough.

"How is Delly anyways?" Prim asks me. "I missed her."

Delly and Prim were the ones who got along well. I was more of the third party. I didn't like to talk much and they talked about girl stuff a lot. I couldn't relate at all and before we even moved to France, Prim already knew how to speak a little French. Delly was the only girl I conversed with because she knew how to talk in English that I understood. I was forced to learn French and now I still use it especially when I'm pissed.

I had no problem with Delly. She was talkative but she always took my side and she kept Prim company. I didn't mind being alone. If I was an outcast, I would accept it. There was this one guy that I thought was interested in me. I didn't know that he just wanted to get with me until one night I agreed to go out on a date with him. My very first date, I spent it with him.

I lost my most prized possession I can never take back that night, my virginity. I lost my damn virginity to a person I barely knew at the age of 14. The only secret I haven't revealed to grandpa yet and worse, Prim.

His name was Peter Mhell Arch. He was the sweetest guy ever. He was blonde. He had a dimple on his left cheek every time he would smile. He wasn't as built as Finnick. He was medium stock built. He always made me smile and the silly girl that I am just had to live in a fantasy world where love does exist.

He swooned me. A guy like him was too good to be true. The next morning he was gone, I was left alone in bed. I found out from Delly that they also had sex. The same damn night. I couldn't begrudge Delly for not knowing. She confided in me what to do because they had a date again that evening. I was being two-timed with my friend and I was chosen over a blonde.

That day, me and Delly broke up with him. He was humiliated in front of everyone when he sang Delly a song-Don't Go Breaking My Heart. He was a no good damn bastard. But that wasn't good enough for me, I didn't just humiliate him once but I also made him lose his first job. Yes, it was an evil thing to do. But what the fuck? I am not making him work for my grandpa as his assistant. He actually used me to get a job. His reason was "Business is business. It doesn't matter how dirty it gets."

I screwed up his internship. I knew grandpa always requested black coffee in the morning or else he'd be grumpy. I just needed the perfect timing when he wasn't looking. I swapped the coffee machine with an old beat upped one and it got electrocuted. Everything was just a mess. It caused the whole building to go black.

"Katniss?" Prim brings me out of my thoughts. How many times do I have to zone out in a week?

"Oh yeah! Delly is doing fine. She's coming over for a holiday." I reply to her earlier question.

I remember the whole conversation we had just a while ago. Delly is a very spontaneous and superstitious person. She made plans for the weekend to come over. She's always wanted to come to America and now that I'm here in California, she decided to stay at my place. She told me that she just booked a ticket and the earliest she could get was on Saturday. She was planning today but they just sold the tickets at the last minute. Her allowance got cut off by a grand for partying too much and she said it was cheaper to just stay over at my place in the guest room.

I couldn't say no to her. She was all excited and she showed me around France so I had to repay the debt.

I exit the bathroom first and Prim follows suite. Peeta and I still have to finish our project and we aren't half way through.

**BABY PEETA IN DIAPERS**

"Ugh! I quit! I don't want to study anymore." I whine. We've been studying for 2 hours straight already and it is 8 already. Damn you, Biology!

"Look, we can probably continue this tomorrow again or something?" he suggests. Don't you understand how nice I've been trying to act? It's hard enough staying in the same room with you. I have to even force myself not to strangle you.

"Great. How about you finish the rest of the project at your house since all you've been doing is sitting in my bed getting comfortable? How about that?" I snap. He has been doing nothing but staring at me with this weird look on his face. I didn't get him at all. I was shocked because today he seemed formal, not rude. He kept this ridicules smirk on his face that I would enjoy slapping it off.

I guess he's being polite is because I own the house and Prim is around. He nods his head not protesting to what I said and I don't think he's as useless as I thought he'd be.

"You better have it done by Friday. If not, don't be sorry if you end up in a hospital bed." I threaten. I send him one of my wicked grins letting him know I'm not joking. I can visibly see him swallowing and he nods his head slowly.

"Will do ma'am. You'll expect it done and on our table at 1600." He reassures.

He soon leaves after without eating dinner at my place.

**Author's note: Eh! That's all I could think of at the moment. I'm sorry. I know it's pretty short for my liking. I decided to reveal the other stuff on the next chapter. I'm sorry if this is pretty late. There's a damn typhoon and lots of brown outs occurring and stuff. Review? Thank you, sweetheart.**


	8. Game night

**Author's note: Thank you so much for all the reviews. You guys are so awesome. Believe it or not, I take a picture of each of your reviews and save it into my laptop. I know my story is boring, like very boring sooo uhmmm.. I hope this is less boring. I skipped Thursday and went straight to Friday's game night. I just didn't feel like thinking to write for Thursday. Also I feel horrible. I got stuck and didn't know what to write thus resulting to eh. I wanted to say bad words a lot but I wanted it to be exactly Rated T so I decided to change the words.**

**Is That All You See, my awesome beta reader did a great job on this. :P**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games. That's right! I sucked it all up just to admit I don't own it. :'(**

**CHAPTER 7: GAME NIGHT**

**PEETA'S POV:**

I can't help but not think about Katniss. Katniss. Katniss. Katniss. She's starting to invade my dreams. She's driving me crazy! Last night my dreams were clear of how I truly felt for her. It was the most absurd dream I have dreamt.

"_Daddy?" She called out. It was raining. The thunder was so loud that it shook the whole house. The room was vaguely familiar. At the corner of the room I saw her. A little girl was huddled in layers and layers of blankets, her back facing me. She slowly turned towards me. She had blonde hair- just like mine. Her eyes are a deep shade of gray. Her eyes red and puffy, evidence that she has been crying. Her face was pale with fear of the storm. She was clutching her teddy bear to her chest so tightly that her knuckles turned white. I walk over to her and kneel down in front of her._

"_Hi there, sweetheart." I greeted. "Are you okay? Do you want to help me find your daddy?"_

"_What are you talking about, daddy? You're sitting right in front of me." She whispers in between sobs. "Where's mommy?"_

_I sit there in complete shock and confusion. Who is her mom? I am her dad? I don't reply to her question. I don't even know who her mom is. Then Glimmer comes into the room. Glimmer is her mom?_

"_You have such a brat of a daughter! Look at her! She's a demon. She's been whining for her crazy witch of a mom and her two-timing son of a gun of a dad to get their asses home from their crappy date. You both just can't hold your damn hands together without getting sloppy. I am never going to babysit your kids again. I can't believe you chose this kind of family over me. I came over to babysit to maybe give you a second shot with me and here you are 'letting loose', no more abs, multiplying with that…that… argh! You know what? I give up! Besides, you never really were worth it. She can have my sloppy seconds!" she shouts, storming out of the house._

_She made sure to slam the door on the way out. I bring the little girl up to my lap and hold her tightly. She is violently shaking. I had to cover her tiny ears from the profanities Glimmer shouted. The little girl finally stops shaking and her breathing evens out. She fell asleep in my arms. I carry her over to the bed and tuck her in. I stare at the little figure before me. Is this how my daughter will look like in the future?_

_Someone wraps an arm around my waist and leaves a trail of kisses from my neck down to my shoulder blades. I get a shiver at this interaction. The person starts nibbling on my ear and whispers, "I'm sorry. I had to drive the lunatic away."_

_I turn to face the woman and its Katniss. She gives the little girl a kiss on the forehead and whispers, "I'm so sorry, baby. Mommy and Daddy will never leave you alone with her again. She's never going to step into this house ever. We're sorry our little date took longer than I thought it would."_

_She tugs me by my tie, seductively. I haven't noticed the clothes I was wearing until now. I was in a suit. I went on a date with Katniss Everdeen. I have children with her too, according to Glimmer._

_Can this get any better? And my prayers are answered. She pulls me towards the door. I follow her like a lost puppy. I just couldn't peel my eyes off those eyes that showed desire, want… and lust? She led me to a room with candles and rose petals on a bed. I was so dazed by those eyes of her that I didn't realize she slammed the door on my face. She was having sex in our supposed room with another man. I slumped to the ground to cover my ears from the loud moans. I was forced to listen to them move. She finally screamed the name of the guy that was with her. Finnick. She screamed it over and over again. This is a complete nightmare._

"You alright, man?" Finnick asks, pulling me out of my reverie.

"I'm fine." I snap. Concern, horror and confusion is evident is in his eyes. I have never shouted at Finnick, ever. Or at anyone for that fact. "Sorry. I guess I'm just a little worked up for this game. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"No worries, man. Nothing girls can handle forgetting about. C'mon! I bet _Glimmer_ will help you ease off a bit with that nerve you got." Finnick gave me a pat on the back and left. I guess he's going to flirt with some of the cheerleaders, waiting outside of the lockers.

'_I'm just jealous that you and Katniss are really close.' _I thought to myself. I don't even have the right to be jealous because she isn't mine to begin with. I just wished I got to be close to her. I bet she practically hates my guts for waking her; offending her and making her do all the work for our biology project.

I hope she'll be out there, watching the game. I place my mouth guard and make sure to double-knot my shoe laces a tiny pre-game ritual I do unlike others who would wear their underpants for a week. I grab my helmet from my locker and walk out.

Much to my hypothesis, Finnick was already flirting and being swallowed whole by 5 cheerleaders- including Glimmer. She was batting her eyelashes and twirling her blonde curls, trying to get attention from Finnick.

Once she sees me, she walks over and pulls me in for a long intimate kiss but all I could think about was Katniss. I wonder how soft her lips would be against mine. I moan into Glimmer's mouth, keeping my eyes closed. I just wished this was Katniss. When she finally pulled away for air, I slowly open my eyes. I am met with blonde hair and green eyes. It's not Katniss. She gives me a smirk and I try my best not to frown.

"If you enjoyed that kiss so much, you should win the game and see what's underneath this," she purrs into my ears, gesturing to her uniform. "Nothing just to give you a hint, baby."

I manage not to roll my eyes at her and give her a chaste kiss on the lips.

Sure, I love Glimmer but there's no secret all she ever thinks about is finally doing the d_eed_ with me. Every time we have a heated kiss, she eagerly removes her shirt and starts grinding into me. I always pull away though. I am a virtuous man. I want to wait for the right girl and then get married first before I lose my virginity.

I give Glimmer a grin so I won't upset her. I walk out to the field and am surprised by the crowd and that's not the only thing I notice though. An unfamiliar laugh breaks through my ears along with Thresh's booming voice. I turn around and see that Thresh is not only talking but he's actually flirting with a cheerleader. This brings a smile on my face though the girl is not familiar to me. I guess she's the lucky chick that got in. I walk over to the benches and sit down. I'm the tight end. Finnick is the quarterback. Cato and Gale are both linebackers due to their massive strength and height. Marvel is the kicker. Compared to us, Marvel is a bit scrawny and shorter than the rest of us but he is a wicked kicker so you should never underestimate what a little fella can do. Again for today, I go back to what I was thinking earlier in the locker room. Katniss.

What kind of relationship does Finnick and Katniss really have? Finnick is always sitting with Katniss and Annie ever since she got here. Katniss is usually hanging out with him and always texting him- according to Finnick every time he picks his phone up. I don't know but I really do think I love her. I mean, I barely even know the girl but the simple things I do know about her, makes me fall in love with for her.

She doesn't talk about useless things like Glimmer. She's better with actions than words. She walks with self-confidence but she isn't self-absorbed. She enjoys silence and peace. She isn't like most girls. She doesn't trip over all guys that give her their attention. She's lethal and very sarcastic but I know there's more to her. I can tell it in those deep gray orbs of hers. She always keeps her emotions bottled up. The only emotions I have ever seen from her are amusement (every time she tries to get on Cato's nerves), confusion (On Wednesday at 5:42pm in her bedroom when I thought she was going to kiss me) anger (the time I hit a soft spot) and fire. She always keeps a straight face. She keeps to herself and she acts like she doesn't trust anyone other than Finnick and Annie. She's the type of girl that is straight on. She's a mystery I would like to unfold. She's special.

I clear my mind of all those thoughts. I have a game to think about not just _some girl_ who would barely notice me. I walk over to a crowd of guys surrounding the new cheerleader. I'm shocked that Thresh, Finnick, Cato, Gale and Marvel are the ones surrounding her. This chick must be so hot. It's a shocker I haven't noticed her yet.

It was unmistakably_, Katniss_. I froze in place as I saw them chatting away. Her back is facing me and I'm a couple feet away. She was the girl Thresh was talking to. I feel a bolt of jealousy course through me. How does Thresh know Katniss and more importantly, how does Katniss know Thresh?

This girl never fails to surprise me. I never thought of her being a cheerleader yet there she stands in a cheerleading uniform, and might I say in a rather great one. It hugged her just in the right places but of course I couldn't exactly tell about her waist because Finnick held her waist, loosely. I'm glad he didn't pull her too close. Who else would Finnick wrap an arm around? Her usual braid is tied up in a high ponytail. I knew it was her. Just by her olive skin, I knew it was her. Last time I checked, he stopped fooling with what's that girl's name again? Lady? Lavender? Lavinia? Somewhere along those lines.

I shut my eyes closed. I felt lightheaded all of a sudden. How can they all talk so freely with her and I couldn't? Instead of walking up to them, I did a quick turn to the left entering the lockers room. _Coward_. I couldn't even walk up to her. I'm usually known for being cool and I couldn't even face her.

I bury my head in my hands. "What is wrong with you, Mellark?" I mutter to myself.

Coach Brutus comes out of his office and tells me to head to the field because the game is about to start. I take a deep breath and head out. We gotta win this game. It's always the first game that's important other than the Championship game. I have to stop thinking about Katniss. I have Glimmer. I'm a horrible boyfriend.

As usual, Finnick won us the game, me tackling 3 men down and I barely even focusing. It went by fast. All I could think about was Katniss. I kept on glancing at her through the corner of my eye.

She is actually very flexible. No wonder how she got in. During the half-time she stole the show. She did great booty shakings by the way. People barely noticed Glimmer on the top of the pyramid, including me, when Katniss did a Quadra flip in front of them.

Finnick is with Katniss (yet again) along with Annie, Prim, Thresh, Rue, and another man that reminds me of Santa. I walk over to them. That's right! Like Finnick said, "Nothing girls can handle forgetting about."

"Hey, man! You did a great job!" I comment Finnick. He gives me that goofy beaming smile and wraps an arm around Katniss' shoulder. Seriously, man? You trying to piss me off? I manage to smile at him though. I'm not supposed to be jealous.

"Thanks, Peet. Party at my place. You tagging along with us?" Us? Who's us?

"Sure." I answer, calmly. I hope that 'us' refers to Katniss.

"Great. Let's go." Finnick says to no one in particular. "Thanks Principal Snow. Don't worry. I'll take good care of Kitty Kat here."

Wait! Hold up! Principal Snow. He's Katniss grandfather? The guy is from Katniss' picture in her room. No wonder why he looks oddly familiar. And seriously Finnick? Kitty Kat?

"I can handle myself, grandpa. You can't trust this dummy… And seriously Finn? Kitty Kat? You call me that one more time and I'll tell everyone that _little_ dare you did in Summer Camp." Katniss threatens. Holy crap! Can she read my thoughts? That's what I was thinking except for that secret dare he did. I wonder. Or is it that we are meant to be? '_Don't get your panties in a bunch. She can barely tolerate you. You're falling too fast and too hard.' _Where the hell did that come from? I swear it's creepy. There are different voices in my head. I sigh. What has gotten into me?

"Don't just stand there, Mellark. Move your ass." Katniss scolds. I didn't realize the conversation is over. She spoke to me! We're walking towards Finnick's truck which he uses when he has a lot of passengers.

The trip to Finnick's place was oddly quiet for me and Thresh. The conversation is really between Katniss and Finnick and sometimes Annie speaks her mind. Time to time, I would catch Finnick glancing at me through the rearview mirror with a smug look on his face. _Arrogant buffoon._

All Finnick kept on teasing Katniss that ever since they were younger she always wanted to be a ballerina and that she was great during the half time. _Guess I wasn't the only one spying her from the corner of my eye. What are you hiding, Finnick?_

We finally arrive at Finnick's house and his house is packed. Katniss, along with Annie, follows Finnick around his house. I need a drink. I can't take Finnick and Katniss' lovey dovey shit no longer. It's irritating.

**~RIDING UP AND DOWN THE ELEVATOR WITH EFFIE, PEETA, AND KATNISS~**

**KATNISS' POV**

"Hey! You guys! Peeta passed out near your pool, Finnick." Annie states, kicking him lightly on the stomach. "You think I should wake him up?"

"Huh? Who?" Finnick asks, popping his head from the slide door.

"Peeta passed out. Should I wake him?" Annie repeats.

"What? You've got to be kidding me. He never drinks that much to pass out." Finnick informs the both of us. I don't really care to know stuff about him. "I think we should all wake him up together."

"I'll pass." Why should I help them? I mean I don't see the point in helping out when they're already two. I think Annie can wake him herself. I continue picking up the littered cans of beer. These people are nasty. I bet Ms. and Mr. Odair would be pissed if they find out that Finnick crashed the house. The only reason is that Finnick threw a party here is because the Odairs are out of town for the week. They went to pick up Odin, Finnick's older brother, in Florida. I don't see why he went all the way to Florida for a swimming scholarship when he could've gotten one here. They tried bribing him with great offers but he politely declined. I guess because he wanted to live without his parents.

"Oh come on, Katniss! You are such a buzz kill. We could've gotten revenge for-" Finnick tries reasoning.

"I'm in." I cut in. Finnick and I are master-prankers. If this means revenge then that would be fun. We always pulled the greatest pranks of all time. During summer, we got to prank the counselors out of their cabins half-dressed. We got into so much trouble afterwards but it was worth it to liven up the camp. I mean it was all a harmless joke. They just didn't know how to live a little. If there is a college for pranking, Finnick would graduate as the valedictorian along with me I guess. We are partners in crime after all but he's more of the brains and I'm more of the action.

We both turn to Annie expectantly.

"Fine… I guess a little change won't hurt." She says, hesitantly. "What are we going to do to him?"

"Put a mustache and some make-up and take picture of him to use as blackmail?" I suggest.

"Write our names on his forehead saying we were here?" Annie chimes in.

"Good. Great. I like how you think, Annie. We can also do that but I also had something else in mind." Finnick says. I think I saw Annie blush from Finnick's complement a little under the moonlight but I keep my mouth zipped.

"What?" Annie and I ask a bit too eagerly.

"In mom's room, there's some make-up for you _chicks_." He says.

"For us?" I ask, dumbly. What does he have in mind? He may be a retard but he is an evil genius.

"I want you guys to wear those white dresses that mom has and put make-up on. I think we can smear her dresses with some ketchup to make it look like blood and wash it later. Annie, can you paint Katniss' face ghost white? Katniss here knows nothing about being a girl." I think I made a horrible grunt in disgust because Finnick starts smirking at me.

"Annie, for a swimmer, I know you can hold your breath the most so I suggest you emerge from the water once he wakes and I'll be behind that bush, filming you guys." He says, pointing to a bush near Peeta passed out at. "Now go! I'll get ready with the rest."

We rush off to Mrs. Odair's room and grab two similar night gowns that flow just three inches from our knees from her wardrobe. Annie starts painting my face with lots of powder and puts black mascara on my face. She then soaked it, making it look like I cried. She's great at this. I look dead. We then go down stairs and smear some ketchup on the night gowns. I put lots of ketchup mainly on the stomach area making it look like I was stabbed there. I kind of feel bad putting ketchup on it. It's so pretty and the fabric is made of silk (I should know wearing all those clothes for parties with grandpa and Prim.)

We head back upstairs and take turns changing.

**Finnick's POV**

Oh! This is going to be fun! Peeta is very wasted. He's in for a surprise alright. I'm not only _the best pranker the world has to offer but I can make magic. _I remember the last time he got so drunk. I had to carry him home. It was a Tuesday evening and I forced him to hang out with us at the bar. There is nothing funnier than messing with a drunken person especially if you get them to pour out all their secrets. I still remember out whole conversation.

"_So what really is going on between you and Katniss? Huh?" Peeta asks half conscious of what he's saying. "I'm sure you're just playing with her. If I had a chance, I would steal her away from you."_

_Well this is rather interesting. Cato, Gale and Marvel already left and Peeta and I stayed behind. I wonder what he thinks of my Kitty Kat._

"_You like her don't you," I tell him. "Don't worry she's a friend."_

"_Just friends huh? What was she doing in your bed that day? Huh? So can you come up with an answer for that?"_

"_Sleeping, obviously. And she isn't just a friend; she's like my little sister."_

"_Great. I'd seriously love to have her."_

"_How about Glimmer?"_

"_Who?" he asks, laying his head on the counter._

"_You know. You're girlfriend."_

"_Oh! Her! We lost our fire. I just want Katniss." His head shoots back up, making me jump a little. He can't even remember his own girlfriend. He is very drunk._

"_You want her that bad?"_

"_Yeah, if you'd let me." He answers. He finally loses consciousness and falls asleep on the bar counter._

Katniss and Annie finally come bounding down the stairs. Katniss comes down first and then Annie.

"Wow! Annie, you did a great job on Katniss." I complement her. She made Katniss look dead like she was killed.

I think I see Annie blush a little but I don't say a word. Even in my mother's night gown, which is loose on her, looks beautiful on her. She doesn't have any make-up because she'll be going in the pool and it will just run off. All I can say is that she looks like an angel.

**Katniss' POV**

We come back down stairs and Finnick has done a great job with his backyard in a short period of time. He flipped some tables and he placed knives (that had fake blood on it) a tad bit away from Peeta, just in case. He broke some beer bottles across the lawn. Broken plastic bits of chairs into the pool and the finishing touch, he splattered fake blood, that only God knows where he got them from, across tiles. He got to write all our names saying "KATNISS, ANNIE, AND yours truly FINNICK WAS HERE!" with a marker. I hope its permanent marker. . I don't know how he got it to fit but it did. I also don't know how he did it without waking him. I want him to remember this day.

"So? What's the plan?" I ask Finnick.

"Oh! You will love this but, you both have to promise that there won't be going back and that you'll listen to everything I say."

I look to Annie for her confirmation and we both nod.

"Say you guys promise!" he whines.

"Promise." Annie and I say in unison.

"Good. So here's what you are going to do Katniss, you slip in under his arms-"

"I'm going to do what now?" I ask, indifferently. There is no way in hell that I am going to go that near to him, let alone lay and be touched by him.

"You promised, Katniss!" he shouts.

"You said nothing about touching him!" I shout back.

"YOU PROMISED! Don't force me to carry you and throw you in the pool." I let out a sigh in defeat. As much as I don't want him touching me, I still want to prank him especially in his current state.

"What if he wakes up while I try slipping under his arms?" I ask, hesitantly.

"Ah! Thank you for not being so stubborn my dear Kitty Kat. I tried waking him but he didn't budge, and no he is not dead."

"Then how will I wake him?" I ask. I mean if he couldn't wake him then how could I?

"You scream in his ear and as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, Annie, like I said earlier; you will emerge from the water. You both will haunt him. You both are now officially dead at this hour," he pauses and checks his watch and then continues. "11:52pm due to a drunken teenager who took in all his rage at two innocent passer-byers. Got it?"

"What do we say?" Annie asks.

"How could you, Peeta? How could you kill us? HELP MEE!" he shrieked in a girly voice that I never knew he had in him. I don't even think I possess that. "That's what you should shriek. Positions!"

He runs over to the bushes and gets ready with his camera. "Lights, Camera, ACTION!" I slip into his arms and I instantly feel safe. I feel so weird with his warm wrapped around me. He's now cuddling with me and I'm freaking out. He lets out a sigh of contentment and buries his head on the crook of my neck and I just can't help but feel warmth boil in the bottom of my stomach. I can't help but try and push that feeling away from him. I try pushing him in and he just groans. _Well, fuck you Mellark. You're lucky that you're drunk_. I'd say that you were a pervert. I do the only thing I could do and do what Finnick told us to do. I move closer to his ear and scream to the top of my lungs. Finnick better be filming this 'cause I swear I am not doing take 2. Peeta finally shoots up and scream. He screams worse than me. He actually sounds like Finnick when he was impersonating a girl. I bite my cheeks to stop me from laughing. I wince in pain as I taste blood. I hold on to my stomach and act as if I'm in pain. I mean he _did_ stab me.

"How could you, Peeta? How could you kill us? HELP MEEEE!" I shriek, mimicking Finnick.

Annie took this as a cue and surfaces out of the water and actually cries or I think it's from the water of the pool. She starts crawling out of the water and looks purple from holding her breath too long. She's breathing heavily but doesn't break character.

"How could you drown me, Peeta? How! HELP! Save me!" she screeches.

I am initially shocked with her acting skills but I recover immediately and continue my groans in pain. Peeta runs off to the slide door and tries running away but luckily, Finnick locked it and the only open door is through the his bedroom and I have to climb in through there later.

Peeta sinks down to the ground. He's starting to shut down in horror and covers his ears. He starts repeating "This is all just a horrible dream. You did not kill them." He's actually crying at the moment and Finnick steps out of the bushes, the camera is still on and rolling.

We all burst into a fitful of laughter seeing the broken Peeta. He looks at us crazy with a goofy face that I just can't describe and we laugh even harder. Yes, we can be cruel but you should see Peeta's face.

He stands up and walks over to me. He gently lays a hand on my cheek and I freeze at this action. What is he doing?

He then walks over to Annie and places a hand on her arms. He's feeling if we really are alive.

Finnick clears his throat and starts speaking. "Peeta Mellark, you just got punk'd."

Peeta pulls Finnick and me closer to Annie for a group hug and he starts sobbing.

"I thought I really did kill you." He chokes and I just can't help but start rubbing his back in comfort.

It takes him a while to control himself and when he does, he apologizes and leaves.

What is he saying sorry for?

Now I feel guilty for what I did and not only just me but also Finnick and Annie. I can tell it in the look of their faces.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING. I did say in my last update that I wouldn't be able to write and I have my cousin over from my hometown that I haven't seen for 2 years. I'm so sorry but was it worth the wait? Again, I am truly sorry. My next update would be on Saturday or Sunday maybe because I have exams next week. I truly am sorry. I felt bad for making you wait. ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT I SHOULD WRITE ON THE NEXT CHAPTER? I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SHOULD I WRITE NEXT. :'(**


	9. Delly

**Author's note: Heyya! Thanks you for all you reviews. Really. I'm shocked with the outcome. Please don't stop reviewing. I really do appreciate it. Anyways, so the only reviewer I couldn't reply to was…**

**GUEST from Chapter 4: You really want it to be a KatnissxFinnick? I was planning for it to be PeetaxKatniss though. How bout I just make Finnick her best friend and make him flirt with Katniss every time they're together just to make Peeta jelly? How does that sound? I'm writing a story for the summer they met but I can't post it now.**

**GUEST from chapter 7: It was meant as a joke but it has given me an idea for this story soooo.. uhmm maybe I'll use it in this story. On this chapter. Credit goes to her/him! **

**I kinda left the last update less detailed of what else happened at the party and well here it goes…**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Hunger Games. I don't even own the DVD! They aren't selling it here. I cursed every store that didn't have it before I stormed out of the place.**

**Chapter 8**

**Katniss' POV**

I snuggle further into my pillow. Finnick's bed oddly felt extra warm and comfortable tonight. Annie and I slept over here in Finnick's house. We finished cleaning at 4AM and neither grandpa nor her parents wanted us to go home at that time of the night even if Finnick insisted that he'll drop us off. We finished that late because we also had to clean the mess that we made from our _little_ prank with Peeta and we made sure to clean Mrs. Odair's night gown. Luckily, the ketchup did come off. I kind of feel bad for what I did to him. I even wonder if he got home safely since he was really drunk last night.

I decided last weekend to move some of my clothes here at Finnick's. I know, it's like I own the house but I usually do sleep over and Mr and Mrs. Odair love having my company since they don't have a daughter. They don't mind me sleeping in Finnick's room, too. They trust me enough not to do any _nasty _business with him _in_ his room.

But… I didn't exactly ruin their trust but we actually did something last night. We both got called to Seven Minutes in Heaven. Isn't it ironic he told Annie we did do it? But we certainly did not. We just don't see each other in that way.

_At first we didn't do anything in the closet for 4 minutes and we had 3 minutes left until he spoke up._

"_Wanna do this?" he asks me, seriously. I gag at him. He moves closer but I just can't seem to move and there's no way out for 3 more minutes._

_At first, I think it's from too much drinking of those foul spirits but I was with him and Annie the whole time. He made sure to drink only 2 cups as a victory gift for winning the game but not too much so he could drive us home. He leans in closer, our noses ghosting each other. He closes the distance and kisses me._

_This kiss is soft and lasts for about 5 seconds until I finally come to my senses. I push him away and he seems to be busy thinking._

"_Nope. at all. I'm glad that's passed us. I just had to know," he states. "You?"_

"_What? You're an idiot, Finnick!" I shout. "You kiss me in the middle of a game and ask me what I think. I think that you should never do that again if you don't want an arrow through your precious face of yours."_

_He instantly covers my mouth with his hands and moans. I elbow his stomach causing him to make a small yelp in pain._

"_What are you doing?" I hiss venom clearly in my voice._

"_Shut up, Kat. This is supposed to be 7 minutes in heaven. We aren't in court shouting at each other. Let's give some people some entertainment and just act the part for once."_

"_Wha-" My question is cut off when Finnick kisses me again and holds my waist. The doors fly open and we break apart. It was a 2 second kiss. His lips taste of alcohol. Everyone outside starts howling for more kisses and Finnick just smirks. Bastian! He really has to keep up his image of being the arrogant self-absorbed quarterback._

_I storm out of the house and onto the roof. I just need some air. It really is peaceful until that bimbo comes to destroy it._

"_I thought I'd find you here," he says. "The little squirrel that you are always climbs high places."_

"_You have to stop making me look stupid." I tell him. I don't have time for this drama._

"_Stop acting like that. It's freaking me out."_

"_Like what Finn? I hate drama. Stop making me look like another one of your love sick pups because you know I'm not like them."_

"_Fine. I'll do that when you'll stop acting like an eighty year old woman who won't get her back scratched." I snort._

"_I'll do that when you stop acting like a five year old," I retort. He wraps an arm around my shoulder as if nothing happened between us earlier. I drop this silly subject of ours because it seems to go nowhere. "Where's Annie?"_

"_Waiting for you downstairs to cool down. She wanted to be the one to talk to you but I just had to fix this between us. She's really nice. Keep her well. You don't find people like that all the time." He answers truthfully. I'm waiting for him to drop something dirty about her in or how sexy she is in that comment of his but nothing comes forth. That's odd._

I hear some giggling and laughing. I furrow further into my (Finnick's) pillows to shut them up. We slept late last night. Can't a girl get some more sleep? The laughter doubles and I just burst.

"Shut up!" I grab another pillow and cover my ears to attempt shutting the sounds out.

"Can't get comfy enough, Kitty Kat?" he asks.

"Finnick!" Annie scolds.

And suddenly the pillow wrapped in my arms starts moaning and shifting. _It _immediately hugs my waist and my eyes flutter open. I remove the pillow above my head and I see Peeta's sleepy form beside me. His hair is messier than it usually is and acts like nothing is wrong with how close we are or even the fact that we slept the whole night, well day, together. And the one sentence that bouces around in my head is that 'It wasn't a pillow in my arms but his waist and my head rests on his chest.' Another chuckle comes out of Finnick's mouth and I'm not sure how long I have been looking at him. This makes me jump and roll off the bed, pulling him along with me. He lands on top of me and his head drops behind my shoulder. He collapses on top of me shifting all his weight on me. He is pretty heavy. He moans again from pain and I think it's from a hangover or from the fall. I try wriggling out of him but he's too heavy to move.

"Stop moving. You're making my headache worse." he says. I squirm under him again because I can't take his weight. "Damn it! Stop moving!" he snaps, lifting his head from my left shoulder. His breath reeks with alcohol. How much did he even drink? I immediately feel heat rushing to my cheeks and I hope I don't look too red.

"I'll stop moving if you get the hell off me. You're too heavy." I reason out. I don't know why I'm feeling so defensive but something about our position makes my stomach churn.

Peeta's face turns into a tomato. I think it's the first time he realized the position were in. We're mere inches from each other's faces, our noses brushing each other.

He finally rolls off of me and stands up. I lay mortified on the ground. He stretches his back. I can't help but notice the skin that is showing from his stomach and I get a good view of his abs from on the floor. I can't seem to pull my eyes away from them. If it's even possible, I turned redder.

He looks down at me and gives me a smirk that I can only imagine he got from hanging out too much with Finnick but I don't know. That smirk makes my heart start pounding a little faster. I think he caught me staring. He bends down and offers me his outstretched hand and I stare at it and look at him in the eyes. He holds a pleased expression and I give him one of my signature scowl that I choose not to hide from Vice Principal Coin every time we cross paths.

"I can stand up myself." I tell him, looking up at him blankly which I have mastered through playing goldfish with Prim and stand up myself.

He tries to do the cool thing by scratching his back as if I haven't rejected his offer and chuckles.

"Sooo… what are you all doing in my room?" he questions, bringing his hand to his throbbing forehead due to the hangover. He drank too much.

"Look around again, drunky. You're in _my_ room." I tell him.

"My room, sweetness." Finnick corrects. I shoot him a death glare and hold it until he looks down. How dare he try to mock of thee as I try to make blek over there look bad and how dare he insult thee of such nicknameth? I need to skip my English class. "How did you even end up in my room? Do you even remember what happened last night?"

Peeta shakes his head and holds his head again. Stupid move. I look over at Finnick and Annie as their eyes light up and now I understand why. We can use the video of Peeta's reaction as blackmail.

He crawls back into bed and wraps the sheet of blanket around him. _I wanted to go back to sleep though._

"Awesome party by the way, Finn." he mumbles and says a goodnight.

'Why can't you go home? This is so unfair. I called dibs on this bed.' I think to myself.

I begrudgingly yank the pillow from under Peeta's head and throw it on the ground. I lie on the ground and do my best to get comfortable_. There is no way that I am going back and lay in the same bed with Annie and Finnick around._

They just stand by the door way with an amused grin. I'm sure they love the situation we are in now.

Peeta shoots his head right up and pauses for a moment. I guess he moved to fast. He bolts right away into Finnick's bathroom and pours out all the vile in his system from last night. I'm sure he didn't get to puke while w_e _were asleep because if he did, I would have felt the bed move but then again, I didn't even know he was in the room. I guess it was because I was so exhausted and I don't think he felt me in the same bed as him. I've been told once that I sleep like a dead person by none other than Finnick Odair.

I hop back onto _my_ bed and wrap myself in the blankets.

"What time is it?" I mumble into my pillow. Finnick's bed smells different. It smells of cinnamon and not the usual smell of sugar cubes.

"3 in the afternoon." Annie answers, peeking out of the bathroom.

I guess she felt bad and started patting Peeta's back awkwardly and something with this interaction boils something inside of me. I push this thought to the back of my head because _it_ really _is_ not worth the time of day to think about so I think about what I should be doing instead.

I have 2 more hours to pick up Delly at the airport so I do nothing as an effort to get ready.

She really is the sweetest person alive next to Prim. Finnick is right. I need to keep her.

I hear Peeta heaving everything he has in his stomach again and he forgot to close the door. I can smell the odor of vomit and my nose scrunches up in disgust. This is why I don't drink anything with alcohol in it at formal parties we attend with Grandpa.

I can't take Peeta heaving anymore and I shout, "Shut the damn door, Mellark!"

I sniff my pillow again. The smell is addicting that I can't get enough of it.

Today, even though I slept late and was kissed by one of my best friend, I felt contented. I was well rested and wasn't visited with horrible nightmares of my parents. A small smile breaks out of my lips and I stretch.

I haven't slept this long without nightmares in years. It felt good. I think I even had a dream with Prim and my parents in the lake house we have. But I only think I did have the dream. I'm not sure.

The feeling of happiness is welcomed.

Peeta comes out of the bathroom a couple of minutes later and flops down on his belly beside me. He smells like vomit and cinnamon? The source of the wonderful smell is from him. Wait? Wonderful?

I kick him with my better leg off the bed. His land makes a big thump and I think he fell face first. He groans and I snicker.

"My bed." I mumble to no one in particular.

Annie joins me on the bed and Finnick dangles by the edge of the bed where Peeta lays muttering to himself. Annie to my left and Finnick to my right.

"You smell real bad, man." Finnick states the obvious. Peeta sniffs his armpits and Annie laughs quietly.

"Yeah? Well, I feel like shit too." Peeta says, _casually _eyeing me. He flops back on the bed next to Finnick. I look over at Annie and she gives me a knowing look. We both stretch out innocently without the two men beside me having any idea what will happen. We take our time stretching for a good 30 seconds, taking up as much space as possible. Annie gives me a small tap on the stomach signaling we should do it now. We both sit up and Finnick and Peeta have their eyes closed without any much thought of our little plan. We sprawl our legs out. Me near Finnick's shoulders and Annie near his waist.

I blink at her and she blinks back at me telling me she's ready. I kick Finnick real hard on the back and she kicks him on the tushy. They both fall off with a loud groan. Me and Annie laugh real hard and occupy all the space on Finnick's bed. I guess 5 people can actually fit on it. Once we collected our breaths, we look down at Finnick and Peeta who stare at us blankly. Before we know it, they both pulls us down and I land squarely on Peeta's chest and Annie falls near Finnick's face. We laugh again. I should have seen this coming from the moment I saw their pokerfaces.

I think I haven't laughed this much without Prim here who usually brings this side out of me.

"So who kicked me on my butt?" Finnick asks.

"Me." Annie squeaks out. Aww! She sounds like Prim.

I realize that I'm still on top of Peeta.

"You really do need a bath." I tell him, trying to hide my embarrassment and how heavy I am on top of him. I roll off and lay next to him, breathing in deeply.

"Finn, lend the poor boy some of your clothes. I can't take his stench." Annie chimes in, playfully.

We again laugh at that. I haven't seen this side of Annie either. I think she's warming up on all of us.

**~EATING SUGAR CUBES ON CATCHING FIRE INSTEAD OF POPCORN~**

After taking a quick shower at Finnick's house, Finn dropped Annie and Peeta home while I walked by myself. Lonely, as I can be.

I just got tired of talking and laughing too much. I'm serious. Those people are just so giddy and full of energy you just might burst. Their laughs and smiles are too infectious.

When I do get home, I find Prim curled up in the couch with the ugliest cat in the world, Buttercup.

She brought him home a couple of days ago and I just lost it. She begged me not to drown him. I mean, do you still call this a cat? All it does is hiss and scratch. Sure, I'm glad that Prim has a new companion to be with when I'm either at school or with Finnick and Annie but I swear it's as if it was sent down from heaven just to make my life a living hell.

On Tuesday morning, _it_ tripped me on my way down. If Prim wasn't there I would have shot its eye and cooked it for dinner.

"Hey, little duck!" I greet her, kissing her on the forehead. "Oi! Get ready now. We have to pick up Delly soon."

When I say that, she instantly jumps up on her heels causing Buttercup to fly out of her lap and land on the floor by her sudden movement without it getting ready to land gracefully on its paws like most cats do. She bounds up the stairs past me, forgetting all about Buttercup and I laugh at this.

She always gets easily distracted at times.

Buttercup trails behind her, not to fail to recall hissing at me first.

She comes back down with a pink beret on top of the blonde mop of hair of hers and a matching pale pink skirt and a white ruffled blouse.

She's about to pick a pair of doll shoes by the front door when I stop her dead on her tracks.

"Primrose Snow Everdeen." I call her with all the seriousness I can muster, motioning for her to come forward with my pointer finger and give her a mock glare. She slowly walks forward and I narrow my eyes at her.

"Yes, Katniss Snow Everdeen?" she mocks. I bend down on my knees and tuck in the back of her shirt back into her skirt and tell her my usual line. "You better tuck in that tail, little duck."

She giggles, giving me a small "Quack." She skips to get a pair of white doll shoes.

We walk out hand-in-hand to the garage and I shut the door before Prim remembers about Buttercup and decides to bring it along.

I hop into the driver's seat of grandpa's Nissan Frontier and Prim decides to hop onto the front seat. I got my license since a week after I arrived which was a good thing but I always preferred to walk to school with Prim and Grandpa was usually not around. He was usually at work and if he wasn't, he was here at home. And since he is the principal, he goes to school early so we can't just tag along with him.

I give Prim a glare and she looks at me innocently.

"Back." I command her. She narrows her eyes at me in disbelief.

"I can't believe you, Katniss. I'm 12 years old already. I'm a teenager and I have the right to do anything I want as long as it abides the law. This is a free country." she whines.

I stare and wait for her to move to the back. She looks forward and crosses her arms, refusing to look at me. I blow out a puff of air. Sometimes Prim can be so stubborn.

"Fine. I can also play this game and we both know how stubborn I can be." I say and add, "I am not driving until you move that pretty little body of yours in the back seat."

She gets up from her seat and a triumphant grin breaks out through my face.

"Yeah, no kidding. Even if you don't try to be, you already are." She mutters under her breath as she passes through the center. She hits me on the head with her hip and I immediately back-up from the garage to the streets causing Prim to fall face first on the seat.

She kicks the back of my seat and laugh.

"We're even." she says.

"No! You hit me twice." I argue but I don't hit her back. "You bumped my hip with your head and my foot _accidentally_ hit the gas so it's not my fault."

"You are such a bad liar, Katniss."

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not."

"Are too! I can see it in your eyes."

"You're the bad liar. You can't even see my eyes or give a good reason." I roll my eyes.

"Yes, I can totally see you and stop rolling your eyes at me. There's this thing called mirrors, Kat."

"Baaah! You know I'm just teasing you." I tell her, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

I can tell that she is thinking of what to say next and a flash of pain crosses through her features but disappears as quickly as it featured.

"What's wrong, little duck?"

"Nothing."

"We tell each other everything. Come on. Tell me." I probe her gently.

"How can you tell there's something wrong?"

"I can see you. There's this thing called mirrors, Prim." I mimic her and I get a laugh out of that and she grows sad again. I really don't like to see Prim sad and just drop the subject. She'll tell me eventually. We don't keep secrets but I will tell Prim about Peter someday. Just not now, she's too young for that icky stuff.

After that, our conversation just ended and I'm worried. Prim's never this quiet but I don't push her to talk. I understand she just needs to think things through.

We finally arrive at the airport and just on time when Delly steps out of the front doors with about… five luggages in her cart.

She's only going to be here for a week and she brings 5 huge luggages. Who brings that much clothing to a vacation that would last only a week?

Prim runs off and when Delly sees her, she holds her hands out and embraces herself for what I call a Prim-hug. She gives these bear-like hugs and even though she is smaller than you, she is clearly stronger than you when it comes to hugs.

Delly kisses both her cheeks and they both bounce up and down in their heels. I can actually hear them start shrieking and giggling. Prim is now planning away what we'll be doing the whole time Delly will stay.

Sometimes, I forget that Delly is a year older than me.

As if noticing me for the first time, Delly rushes over to me and hugs me. She starts jumping up and down again while I'm forced to jump with her and place a tiny smile on my lips.

Yup! Nothing has changed. She still is Delly Cartwright.

**Author's note: I'm really sorry for the late update. Like super late. Exams just won't stop and I usually visit my sick grandparents so I don't have much time to write.**

**You don't have to use GUEST as a name and actually use any name you want. It'll be much easier to call you out so please... I hope you can use another and any name you like to make it easier to give you a message in the A/N above. NIGHT, BABES! ;D**


	10. NOT A CHAPTER :(

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: PLEASE READ THE WHOLE THING.**

Hey! I am really sorry for not updating... I feel terrible and I bet you all hate me but I just haven't had the time to write or even read (and I really miss doing that). I guess I should try and learn how to balance my time? But it just doesn't seem to fit. Life is too demanding and I just wish I could stop the time maybe and write this whole story so it could be done with… On weekends, I spend it with my family… I'm barely at the home and if I am, I would be asleep. I haven't went on in a real long time.. And I also haven't replied to most PMs but I really try to. I'm sorry if you thought this was an update..

**THIS STORY IS ON A HIATUS 'TIL A COUPLE MORE WEEKS. I'm sure I will be able to write the next chapter soon and find some place during October. October will be less hectic, hopefully, after the exams.**

**~Love, Hungergamesfan015 **


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